Elites: The Golden Effect
by ForeverAnEnigma
Summary: It was all fun and games until six young adults accidentally walked onto a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. New initiatives are made in the process of the cleaning up after, but things start to quickly become a bit too hard to handle for Elise Iridium and her friends when an evil alliance threatens to tear them apart. (Author's notes can be found in Author's Profile.)
1. Prologue

Prologue

A few Norse myths have been lost in time, being as they were only passed down through certain families. Many of these families were killed protecting the myths.

A tall man with long, dark hair stood in front of another man with brown hair. A small girl with long hair the same shade as the brunette man stood alongside the dark-haired one, holding his hand.

"You promised Leif. You remember what would happen if you broke your promise, don't you?" the dark-haired man said.

The other one nodded. "Yes, I do. However, Crystal is gone, so the pact is void. Do you know what the officials would say if she suddenly disappeared?"

"They won't know if you don't say anything. Besides, there aren't any officials where I reside."

"I don't care what you say, she stays here," Leif answered.

"But daddy," the girl protested.

"Not now. You should be in your room. Go on," Leif shooed her away, but she wouldn't let go of the man's hand.

"Leif, you've made many poor decisions, but this will be the one that ends you."

"I always said this would be the end of me, but a child isn't suited for where you live."

"I grew up there, as did my brothers."

"Get out."

"Reconsider your actions, Leif."

"I said, 'get out.'"

The man smiled. "Very well," he murmured. He began to leave, but the girl held onto his hand tightly.

"No! Don't go, you promised!" she pleaded.

"I will keep that promise, little Sigyn, I promise you that," the man told her. "Until we meet again."

She finally let go. "Bu-bye, Lo. I love you."

The man looked at Leif. "She despises her own father, but loves someone of whom the name she doesn't know."

"She does, but she doesn't know it yet. Besides, you're over one thousand years older than her."

"She'll catch up."

"Regardless, I know that I can't protect her from you, nor can I keep S.H.I.E.L.D. away, but I will try nonetheless. Others will keep her from you. You can try, but unless you change, she will be out of your reach."

* * *

I had that dream again, comic books have really gotten in my head, but I know it isn't real. There's something about Loki that intrigues me for some reason.

I've been writing quite an amount of stories in this blog, but I suppose I shall try my hand at something personal.

My name is Elise Iridium. I am, or better yet was, a scientist who specialised in gamma radiation and a few other fields, but I have always been fascinated by Norse mythology. My grandfather, Olin, used to tell me many stories about the world of Asgard and the gods of it as well. He seemed to know a lot about Odin and his "sons." He would always tell me to stay away from Loki, but I knew they were only stories. I nearly always sided with Loki in his quarrels with Thor, but I knew that both had rights and wrongs.

My father was killed by an oversized wolf, and it left me to die in the cold. Two women found me on the side of the road a few days later. When I was taken in by one of the women, the one named Mandy, I modeled quite a bit of my personality after Loki and tended to avoid others. I was also diagnosed with PTSD a while later. The other woman happened to be the mother of a girl my age named Dmitria Markov, who became my best friend. We had six other friends: Darren VanDauche, Hunter Daniels, Jared Knightson, Sarah Weatherly, Richard Clemencyn, and Vanessa Sang.

This may be the final entry in this blog, as I very well may forget about it. I have to end this entry, for I am leaving on a trip with Darren, Dmitria, Hunter, Jared and Vanessa today.

Until I write again, Elise Iridium.


	2. Chapter 1

"Wake up, Elise! Or I'm going to eat _all_ the pancakes!" Dmitri shouted, striking a pose after she had emphasized the word all.

"I'm already awake, Dmitri," I say, standing up out of my desk chair. "And ready to go, too." A bit overexcited today, huh?

"Well, if you don't hurry the hell up, you get no pancakes!"

"Alright, alright, I'll be down in a second," I reply, closing my laptop and returning it to its carrying case. I realize that I must have left the window open all night and close it swiftly. I walk down the stairs and see my four friends sitting at the table, eating pancakes. Dmitri made five as she sat down in one of the two empty chairs.

I pick up a plate with a single pancake on it. Dmitri knew I had never been one to eat much. I sit down next to Dmitri in the last empty seat; the pancake had both blueberries and chocolate chips in it. Yum! I quickly and quietly eat it, downing a cup of orange juice along with it. By the time I finish and put the dishes away, Dmitri is outside already, shoving her suitcase into the back of the van we had for our yearly road trips, like today's.

"Am I the only one that's yet to load up my things?" I ask Hunter: a shorter guy with blonde hair and hazel eyes.

He nods. "I'm sure of it, unless Vanessa is too busy washing the dishes and I haven't seen her earlier. Then that would count her too but maybe she already did put her stuff in the van. Other than that I think everyone else has their things packed and loaded. I know I do!" he said. Jeez, he's such a bother sometimes.

I rush off into my room to grab everything I would bring with on the trip. I take a suitcase of clothing and other necessities and my laptop case with my writings in it. I then go outside and place them in the van.

"Are we all ready to go?" Dmitri asks us all as we had our pre-trip meeting in the living room. She stood, but begins pacing the length of the room nearest the fireplace.

"Yes, Dmitri," Vanessa responds.

"Do we have all of our clothing and hygienic itemtry we need?" Dmitri says to nobody in particular.

"Yes, Dmitri," this time it is Hunter who speaks.

"Recreational Equipments?"

"Yes," I reply.

"Any other random things not worth mentioning?"

"Yes, Dmitri," Darren says.

"Blueberries? We need those."

"We have them," Jared tells her.

"Then let's skedaddle!" Dmitri exclaims, leaving the room.

A few minutes later we are on the road: Dmitri is driving; I am in the passenger seat; Hunter, Vanessa, Darren, and Jared had fought over who sat in the far back, which ended up to be Hunter, Jared, and Darren; Vanessa sits in the middle seats.

"Where to this year?" Vanessa inquires, leaning forward.

"I think we should stay in Pennsylvania this year; we never do. Last year we went to Florida, the year before was the whole bloody West Coast, before that was Canada, and the first one was the Midwest," I confess.

"That's actually not bad, Elise," Dmitri tells me.

"Great!" I laugh, my eyes lighting up. Maybe this year will be really fun!

Dmitri then continued to drive in silence as the other four chat idly with each other. I turn my head to see her toying with the GPS. I reach over and take it from her, offering to play with it, even though she knew more about a GPS than I did. She graciously accepted it and I ask her where we were going.

"Somewhere I know we'll all like," she says mischievously, "but it's about a hundred seventy-five miles from here, to the northwest, in the forest. It's an abandoned farm." She hands me an address and adds "it's close to there," after I take the paper. I type in the address and replace the GPS on top of the dashboard. I then turn to look out the window and quickly fall asleep as the day falls into night.

I find myself in a forest, a birch forest. It's dark out, but I can clearly see the white bark and orange leaves both in the trees and on the ground. Birds chirp in the branches. I think I'm in British Colombia. We were here on our road trip to Canada. I hear a noise coming from the darkness far away in the forest.

"Who's there?" What a stupid thing to say. Don't you watch scary movies? But then again, I don't, for that reason. What am I thinking?

No response, I turn and run through the forest, dropping down onto all fours and reaching a full sprint. That thing is following me, but it can never catch me like this!

A dark figure jumps in front of me, roaring horrifyingly. I scream and everything fades to black.

I wake up. We're parked at a truck stop. The GPS says that we're twenty miles from our destination. My heart is racing. Maybe I brought my heart rate monitor with. I think it's in the back. I look to my friends and see them all asleep. Opening the door sheepishly, I go to the back of the van and open the door.

I fumble through the suitcases until I find mine. Why does my suitcase need so many pockets? Oh well, it should be in here somewhere. I zip open the small pocket of the suitcase and find a black and red watch. There it is! I slip it on and set it up again. The watch beeps as I walk back to the front of the van.

A heartbeat of 183, not good, Iridium. You need to calm down. You know you don't want another panic attack, not now, not ever. My heart eventually calms down and I return to a light slumber without dreams.

"Elise, wake up. We're here," I open my eyes to see Vanessa poking me. I get up out of the van, standing up and looking around.

We're on a gravel road that forks off at a ninety-degree angle. The road the front of the van faces is gated and fenced off. A no trespassing sign is on the gate. The van is parked underneath the shade of trees. Dmitri and the boys ate conversing near the gate. I follow Vanessa over to them.

"Where are we?" I ask Dmitri.

"The old, abandoned farm, moron," she says sarcastically. "Are we ready to go investigate? We have to leave the van here because we can't open the gate"

"I heard there was a ghost here," Darren points out.

"Yes! Let's go! Let's go!" Hunter jumps up and down, clapping like a maniac.

"I'd rather not," Jared peeps in his British accent.

"Too late, red-coat, the Yankees are taking you hostage," Dmitri sneers.

I soon find us on the other side of the gate, following the gravel road as it wound through a small forest. I hear a rumbling noise behind us.

"Hide! Someone's coming!" I whisper the command. We leap into the forest and peer out as a dark vehicle drives by slowly. It seems to be a military-style kind of- Hummer? Humvee? An SUV? I feel a tug on my collar as somebody jerks me back. I hear Vanessa shriek.

"What are you doing here?! You're lucky that I don't put you down right now!" A strange man yelled at me. My heart rate monitor watch, I'm just going to call it my watch, begins beeping as I stare into the man's eyes. I believe they were gray. He didn't seem too intimidating, but he carried a bow and several arrows on his back. He had short, brown hair that spiked up in the front. He then forces me to stand up and grabs my wrist, glaring at the watch as the beeping sped up.

"There's more of them!" another voice rings out, and the stranger glances over in its direction, but turns back to me.

"You're coming with us."

I scream as he pulls my arm towards the road where another vehicle is waiting for us. A third is towing our van. I attempt to free myself from the man, wriggling out of his grip and running for the gate, but he is instantly on my heels. My watch beeps incessantly until it sounds like a ring, and I go into a panic attack.

I spin on my heels and snarl at him in an animal-like fashion. He rams into me and we roll, his bow and arrows flying away in random directions. He wrestles me to the ground and punches me in the jaw. Big mistake.

I launch him off of me and he lands nimbly on his feet. By now my friends have been loaded into the vehicle and the others turn to help him, but the man waves them off. They leave and he runs at me. I stay put and as he approaches me, I stretch my arm out. His eye instantly makes contact with my fist and he falls to the ground.

I turn to run again, but I see a woman with ginger hair standing in my way. I crouch down and growl as I cannot speak during my panic attacks; only rough Spanish. _Leave me alone!_ I shriek in my mind.

"Déjame en paz!" I yell it as it sounds. The woman only holds her ground. There are suddenly arms wrapped around my neck and I instinctively go limp. The man picks me up and carries me along the road. The woman retrieves all of the man's bow and arrows and follows him. I close my eyes and wait for him to put me down. A few minutes later he does.

"You can walk the rest, and don't run away, because I'll kill you if you do."

I listen, as we walk the sun climbs higher in the sky, but it becomes covered by clouds and the sky grows dark. It begins to rain. My watch has since stopped beeping and I am glad it is water-resistant; because I'm sure it would have been ruined in this downpour.

I see a white farmhouse growing closer and closer; behind it is a small garage. Lightning flashes and I shudder at the fact that it is so close. I hesitate on the porch of the farmhouse, but the fire-haired woman opens the door and the man shoves me inside. There is some nice furniture, but other than that, the place is empty. The man leads me downstairs and, as I go down the steps, they and everything around me change from wood and rustic into metal and futuristic.

We arrive at what seems to be the main entrance to downstairs. The walls appear to be closer to a fence than a real wall. The man shows the person behind the desk an ID card and my eyes flicker over and I read the name, Clint Barton. I'll be sure to remember that later. The door swings open and Clint pushes me inside.

The woman taps his shoulder. "Be gentle with her. We don't know what she's capable of," she whispered.

Clint leads me down a long hallway and opens a door on the left.

"In you go," he directs me.

I listen, stepping in the small room. My friends are waiting for me, sitting on the chairs.

"Elise! There you are! I thought they were going to kill you!" Dmitri says, relieved.

My face is pale. I feel numb. I barely hear her.

"I spotted a map of the building ere," Jared points out, "it said 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' on the top left corner and a short bit on outsiders, or maybe intruders. I do not recall."

Another stranger enters the room, this time from the opposite side of the room.

"Will you all come with me? I want to make this as simplified as possible," he tells us.

This isn't going to end well, is it? I become forlorn as he leads us into another room with what looks like lab equipment.

"We will run some tests, and if all turns out fine, you can be on your way."

I barely pay attention as they prick me with needles, drawing blood, and run scanners across my body. I am worn out from the panic attack and need sleep. One pulls out a strand of hair; another attempts to converse with me.

"How do you feel?" she asks me.

"Comfortably numb."

I find myself in yet another waiting room; I check my watch. Normal, nothing's wrong with me. I'm fine. I'm well. Nothing's wrong. Clint Barton steps into the room with the ginger woman behind him again. The man calls for everyone, everyone except me. They follow him, with Dmitri taking one final look back at me before disappearing.

"What's going on?" My watch begins to beep again.

"I'm sorry, but we cannot let you leave. The others have been taken to cells while they stay here. You will as well, but a little different. I wish it didn't have to go this way, but I'd appreciate it deeply if you'd come with me," she walks toward the door.

Accepting my fate, I follow her. She turns and walks in a different direction than Clint did. She gestures to an empty room with one-way glass on two sides and a smaller panel on the top half of the room.

"Before I go in, tell me your name."

"I cannot tell you, but feel free to call me Black Widow."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"I'm sure you will..."

She shuts the door on me and I see nothing but the inside of the room. There were two more doors, one under the small panel of one-way glass, the other on the final side of the room where there was no glass. The door labeled "Door I" under the glass opens and three people in lab coats approach me.

"Begin testing immediately," a speaker blares.

I scream as they grab me and haul me onto a cold metal table. My watch is ringing again. They have me strapped to the table and I cannot fight them. A needle pierces my arm and I yell again. _Leave me alone! Get out! Get out!_

"Déjame en paz! Salir! Salir!" I shriek again and again, but they don't listen. Everything becomes dark and fades away like fog in the sunlight.

* * *

"I take pride in controlling my anger, Tony," a man tells the one who is walking with him. Tony is the one with darker, shorter hair and has facial hair. He is also taller than the one who spoke.

"Oh, I know you do, Bruce, but have you ever just wanted to let go and release all that tension built up inside?" Tony says to the other.

"You'd be dead. I can tell you that," Bruce replies.

"Well then I'm sure it's for the best."

"Of co-" Bruce stops and looks to his left.

"What's wrong?"

Bruce ignores Tony, approaching a window.

"A window? Inside?" Tony had seen the window too.

They peer inside to see three people in lab coats surrounding something else. A familiar ginger-haired woman is also watching the bedlam that is taking place on the other side of the window.

"Natasha?" Bruce stands next to her.

"Dr. Banner, hello." She is forlorn, even for a woman such as the Black Widow.

"What are they doing in there?" Bruce presses for answers.

"Torture, I'd say," she says, folding her arms.

"I bet they deserve it," Tony joins in.

"Only as much as Bruce does," Natasha answers.

A scream from inside the room catches Bruce's attention.

"Really now, what are they doing?"

"Running tests on a young woman Clint had caught while out on patrol. She put up a Hell of a fight. Her friends should be passing by anytime now, unless they're found another route to take to their cells. She is, err, different, and, because of that, they feel the need to slowly kill her with these tests, it's been going on for three weeks now. I've watched every second of it. It touches my heart to see such abuse. After their sessions, I visit her in her room. She is slowly closing up, but I try my best to get her to talk. She does nothing but talk in Spanish the first few minutes, so I've waited for her watch to stop beeping before talking to her. It's a wonder they haven't removed it yet." Bruce sees tears well up in Natasha's eyes. This obviously upsets her.

"Stop them. Now," Bruce says.

"We can't."

"I want them to stop, now!" Bruce commands.

Natasha goes past them into a room to the left of them. The people in the lab soon stop working on whatever is in there and leave through Door I. Natasha comes into the room through the same door. Bruce turns to the table in the room. Nothing is there but fresh blood and a green liquid that drips down onto the floor like molasses. She gestures for the two men to enter the room.

Bruce goes in, followed by Tony. Bruce wrinkles his nose at the smell: a mixture of both fresh and dried blood, sterilized metal, and a strange acidic scent Bruce can't quite figure out. A strange beeping noise fills the air.

"Where is it?" Tony looks around.

"_She_ is hiding," Natasha tells him, "Elise, come out."

"Estoy lastimada," a quiet voice rings out.

"What was that?" Tony asks.

"Over here," Natasha points out, calmly striding over to the counter and bending down, coming face to face with her.

Bruce and Tony follow Natasha, but the second the test subject lays her eyes upon the two, she hisses and shies further into the shadows underneath the counter.

"Déjame en paz!" she shrieks.

"Tranquila," Bruce says to her coolly, "tranquila."

"You speak Spanish?" Tony is astonished.

"Portuguese, too. Você fala Português?"

"Não," the test subject replies.

"That was Portuguese."

The watch around Elise's wrist ceases its beeping.

"I'm sorry, but please go away," she says.

"You are hurt. I am here to help," Bruce tells her, "let me get a closer look at you."

He approaches Elise, but she swipes at Bruce, a nail catching his hand, drawing blood.

"Ahh!" he yells, his eyes turning green. The watch begins to beep again. Elise runs out from the counter, opening the third door that led to her cell, and slams it behind her.

"We should go," Tony says to Bruce.

Bruce shakes his head. "No, she needs help- _my_ help. We're taking her back to the base. No one can stop me."

Natasha leads Bruce to Elise's cell; they had to take a detour because the door Elise had used would not open. Elise sees them enter and shrinks into the corner. The watch starts to beep yet again.

"Calm down, Elise. These are my friends, Dr. Bruce Banner and Tony Stark," Natasha coos.

"Doctor? Bruce? Banner?" Elise cocks her head to the side. The watch stops beeping. Natasha steps to the side to let Bruce get a closer look at Elise.

She is terribly emaciated, her clothes torn and her short, dark hair matted. Her eyes are dark blue, but glazed and bloodshot from constant terror. Her fingernails are a variety of both long and short, some of which are sharper than others. One nail on her right hand is covered in blood. Her left leg had been cut open and dark blood oozes out. Elise falls to the floor.

"We need to get her out of here," Bruce says, "Tony, you stay with her. Natasha and I will talk to whoever is in charge."

"B-but, Bruce?" Tony stutters as the two leave.

"I'm telling you, we need to get her out of here!" Bruce shouts at the man that stood in front of him.

"I simply cannot just let you take her."

"But she's dying!"

"When she's dead it will be easier to run tests on her."

"I'll do it."

"Do what?"

"Run the tests. The second Natasha said my name to her she instantly calmed down. There must be a link. I also have better equipment at the base and Stark Tower..." he continues to state reasons and argue with the man.

"Very well, Dr. Banner."

* * *

~Elise

I open my eyes. A man is sitting on my bed. He has dark, scruffy hair and an iconic facial hair style. It seems as if I've seen him before. He looks at me.

"You're not going to kill me while Bruce and Natasha are away saving your ass, are you?" he asks me sarcastically.

"Um, only in self-defense, I would," I answer. "Who's Natasha?"

"She's the soulless ginger that seems to have gained one because of you."

"Black Widow?"

"Yes, her. Why do you know about Bruce and not me?"

"I know you. You're Tony Stark, but Black Widow tells me more about Dr. Banner because she says I remind her of him. I wouldn't know why, however."

"Maybe you'll find out," he grins in an odd fashion.

The door that leads into the hallway opens. I look over to see Black Widow and the man she called Dr. Banner enter.

"We're taking you back to the base, Elise, where it's safe," Bruce says.

"What about my friends?"

"They'll be fine here."

"I won't go unless they do."

"What!?"

"I don't care if I die here, as long as I get to talk to my friends, I don't care where I am."

"I'm sure they can take them as well," Black Widow jumps in.

"Really?" my eyes light up for what feels like the first time ever.

"Yes. Now let's go. I'll fill out the release forms," Black Widow turns and leaves. Bruce and Tony follow her. I force myself up and trail behind them.

I soon find us loading into another large vehicle that says Stark Industries on the side. All of my friends have hopped into the back already and Tony is closer to the front. Dr. Banner is talking to Black Widow and...

Clint Barton is standing next to her. Fury rages from deep within me, but I force it back down. I use the rage to heighten my senses and eavesdrop on their conversation.

"So why did you come here in the first place?" Clint asks Dr. Banner.

"We needed the rest of the Avengers for our mission. The rest of the Avengers would mean you two. I simply got sidetracked by Elise over there..."

I turn away, figuring that this conversation would be better left a secret, and join the others in the car.


	3. Chapter 2

"We're here." I wake up to see Dmitri prodding me in the side. I must have slept through the whole trip.

"You needed a good rest," I hear Dr. Banner tell me.

We walk through a long hallway and it suddenly opens up to a large room with a round glass table in the middle. The front of the room is covered in glass and I can see outside, but the only thing I can see is the sky. I guess we are in a giant helicarrier or something. A tall man with dark skin turns and sees us. He has an eye patch on.

"Who in the hell are these people? And what are they doing here?" he demands.

"Relax, Fury. I rescued one of them from certain death and had to take the rest with," Bruce explains to the man.

"You never alerted me of this earlier, Dr. Banner. I tell you two to retrieve Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff, and you come back with six extras? Give me one reason to not send them back to where they came from."

Bruce hesitates. "One of them has superpowers," he says.

Fury straightens up. "I suppose that is fair reason enough, but six is too many for you alone to work with. I want you and Mr. Stark to assign each person to a mentor, one of the six Avengers. They can teach them the ropes and rules; how things work around here. They can be trained, possibly, to go on missions with you."

"Yes, sir, Nick Fury." Bruce turns. "That went better than I expected. Follow me to my lab. I'm sure Tony is already there."

True to Dr. Banner's assumption, Mr. Stark was waiting for us in Dr. Banner's lab. Tony gestures for us to take a seat on the large, navy blue couch to my right in the corner of the room. There's a counter and bookshelf to my left. The others listen, but I remain standing where I am. I feel dizzy. My legs won't move. I stare out the window that covers the entire back wall.

"Elise? Are you all right?" it was Dr. Banner.

I snap out of it. "Yes," I tell him, "I'm fine."

"Have a seat while I explain the situation to Mr. Stark, please."

"Sorry," I walk over to Dmitri and sit down next to her.

"Elise, I'm so sorry that we ever did this," Dmitri began, "I didn't know they would react to you like that!"

"It's alright, Dmitri. I sorta knew that this would happen."

"Do not fret. I am sure the effects will come to pass eftsoon," Jared adds.

Dmitri nods. "I guess those people just can't handle someone with irradiated genes, morons."

Dr. Banner interrupts us. "What was that about radiation?"

"Elise has a past with it. Her mother was a radiologist from New York City and father a geneticist from Canberra. Elise was subjected to a _ton_ of radiation before _and_ after she was born," Dmitri points out.

Dr. Banner becomes solemn. "Well deal with this later, but for now, we'd like some help deciding your mentors. Elise, you must stay with me."

"Well, I'd like to see some Science Bros action," Dmitri says. "I'll volunteer to be Tony Stark's apprentice since you two seem to be around each other often, and it would be best if I stayed near Elise."

"Alright, I'll sort the rest out with Tony once we get your files. We're going to have someone show you around in the meantime," Dr. Banner returns to the table where he and Mr. Stark are working. The door opens, and in walks Black Widow and, oh god, not again...

Clint Barton enters the lab behind her. Black Widow calls for Darren, Vanessa, and Dmitri to follow her and directs the rest of us to go with Clint. My face grows hot. I don't want to be near this man. It feels as if this man wants me dead, and will stop at nothing to accomplish that. I feel faint. My pulse begins to soar and my watch beeps seven times before my face becomes cold and pale.

"Elise?" Hunter is saying my name. "Are you coming with us?"

I return to the present. "Coming," I respond, pushing aside the fear and rage that welled up, stopping the watch from beeping. I stagger behind the group as Clint points out all the basic areas: the break room; Mr. Stark's office, which he rarely uses; the infirmary; a stairwell; some testing rooms; Nick Fury's office; the meeting room, where we had first met Mr. Fury; Steve Rogers office, he tells us that is Captain America; he finally shows us where our rooms will be. I say nothing the whole time and have to listen to Hunter ask little questions nearly every twenty-three seconds. Jared also has more constructive questions for Clint, but I zone out whenever they go off on a tangent.

Bruce and Tony are sitting in their lab. They have six files spread out over the table. Bruce separates one file from the other five. Both pick one of the five other files up and go through it.

Tony smirks. "I think this one, Hunter Daniels, has to be paired with Barton. It says that he is an outstanding archer, which is obviously not unlike Clint."

"Is that the short one?" Bruce inquires.

Tony nods. "Yes, he's also apparently the only one of the group with both parents as U.S. citizens."

"How do you know that? This is the first one you've looked at."

"It says right here." Tony points to a specific place in the file.

"I see."

"Anything on yours?" Tony grabs a second file and skims through it.

Bruce adjusts his glasses. "Vanessa Sang. She's three-quarters of Asian descent. She's a bit of a rebel, but an awful liar. What do you think about putting her with Steve?"

"No," Tony states. "I think she should go with Natasha. They'd override each other. Natasha could teach her a few things about deception."

"That works."

"This guy, Jared Knightson, he's definitely a Thor guy. He's British and has some archaic English in his voice. They'd be great for each other."

"Alright," Bruce responds, "I feel like we're in total control of these kids' lives."

"We basically are."

The pair continues to read the two files but soon switch to another.

Bruce stops reading after a bit. "Darren VanDauche, he's French-Canadian. He always feels like he has to prove himself to his friends in order to be accepted. Would _he_ be a Steve one?"

Tony shrugs his shoulders. "I suppose. There's nowhere else for him."

"He's a red-head, he could go with Natasha."

"Seriously?" Tony asks. "Just because he's ginger?"

"Well…"

"He goes with Steve. By the way, I'm keeping Dmitria. Did you know she's Russian? That reminds me of Natasha, but beings as she's been to Stanford, I think I'll keep her. So what's in Elise's file? It's much bigger than the rest of these."

"The lab test results are in here," Bruce replies as he opens the file. "She's apparently been on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar before this incident."

Tony cranes his neck to get a glimpse of the documents Bruce was sorting. He takes one and reads it.

"Looks like she's in the same field of study that you were in. This is all about her research on gamma radiation," Tony points out.

"That's interesting. And her parents were in interesting careers as well."

"Sounds like you two will have something to talk about later."

Bruce's eyes light up. "Do you know what this means?"

Tony shakes his head. "This isn't about what I said, is it?"

"You remember your little run-in with the Extremis Virus, right?" Bruce asks.

"I thought you slept through that," Tony mutters, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but Pepper helped a bit with what I missed."

Tony pushes Dmitria's file away from him. "Go on."

"Well," Bruce begins as he fixes Elise's documents, "we could perfect this Extremis Virus and, I don't know, see how it goes."

"What makes you think that's going to work?"

"Maybe the Virus was missing something. Maybe we, as in you, Elise, Dmitri and myself, can find whatever it is that is missing. What if the only thing missing is a base or a primer, like with what happened with me?"

"Hmm." Tony ponders the suggestion for a minute. "I don't want to admit it, but you're a brilliant scientist. You might just be as awesome as me. Let's get started."

We eventually return to the meeting room, where Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark are waiting at the table. Nick Fury is there as well, along with Black Widow and Darren, Dmitri, and Vanessa. There are two other men sitting at the table: both are blonde and fairly muscular, both are dressed oddly, yet one has longer hair and speaks more like Jared.

"Alright, we have the mentors, or whatever we're going to call this, sorted out," Mr. Stark begins, "and I'm going to simplify this as much as possible. The first ones we decided was that Bruce and Elise would be partners, along with Dmitri and myself. Now, I'm going to say this once. Stevie, you get to mentor Darren over there." He gestures to each person as he says their name. "Jared, your sensei is ol' Thor, the mighty god of great hair and over user of conditioner. Hunter and Clint, you two seem pretty over stimulated, so we put you two together. And at last, the two women: Natasha and Vanessa. I'm sure you two will destroy the world together. Need I say more? Carry on."

Dmitri and I return with Bruce and Tony to Dr. Banner's lab. The second the door shuts, Bruce spins around on his heels and faces us.

"Now, you won't cause me too much stress, will you? We've almost completed this mission and I really want to go back to Stark Tower and resume my old experiments. I've had a long day and I'm sure we'd all love to go to our rooms to sleep. I've been awake for twenty hours today. Nick Fury was informed of the testing that needs to be done and insists that we do it ASAP. I'd rather the word possible mean next week," he informs us.

My face is deprived of what color had returned. "N-n-no, s-sir, I myself would enjoy taking my things to my room."

"Great. All of your luggage that Shield found in that van of yours is waiting by your quarters. Find your things, but only unpack what you need. We won't be staying long."

Dmitri and I hike back to the rooms. We pick out two rooms that were available and next to each other. I find my suitcase, purse, and laptop case. Thank God they didn't tamper with my things. I put them down next to the neatly made bed. The outside world begins to fade as I say good night to Dmitri. I take my watch off, lie down on my bed, and fall into a disturbed slumber.

Dmitri and I are in Dr. Banner's lab, but Tony and Bruce are nowhere to be found. I am running a test on a black liquid I had found in a puddle on the table. Every present DNA file in the database does not match it, nor does any inorganic substance test reveal its origin. I take a drink of coffee, for I do not care for tea at the moment. It is dark outside. Dmitri is walking past the door when suddenly something is pounding on the outside of it.

I stare at the door. What the hell could be making such a commotion? Dmitri backs up towards me. It opens and... no! The dark figure that's been haunting my dreams yet again has found me.

"Get away from me!" I scream at it, yet the strange thing moves toward me. I manage to see it better than most days. It is a large, wolf-like creature about the size of a horse. Its eyes glow a deathly red and it drops down to all fours, snarling menacingly. Its fur is a shaggy and matted dark brown, or possibly black. Dmitri has disappeared.

The creature pounces at me, but I dodge it easily. I begin shouting as loud as possible in hopes that I will either scare it away or someone will rescue me.

I scream. I'm afraid nobody can hear me so I face the creature. They say that the only thing able to stop an abomination is the one that created it. I'm going to prove that right today.

~Dmitri

I had returned to Bruce's lab. He and Tony are sitting at the table. Tony has a glass of tequila, or something similar to that, in his hand. We had been talking for an hour now and I am beginning to bore myself to death, so I decide to say something witty.

"Have you ever heard of the Science Bros?" I ask them.

Tony smirks. "I've seen a few videos on YouTube about it. They're pretty hilarious, actually."

Bruce shakes his head. "Never heard of them."

"Google it," I tell him.

"_I'm_ going to head to bed," Tony announces.

Bruce goes to his computer and pulls up Google. I feel as if I could have done it myself by the time he finishes typing it in. Wow, Bruce really isn't like they say he is. He's probably just really tired, I'm sure. He scans the text and pictures and even watches a few videos.

Bruce had been learning about the Science Bros for about fifteen minutes when Tony walks into the lab again.

"I thought you were asleep," Bruce says to him.

"I'm not very tired," Tony admits drowsily, and then adds "I see you've found the Science Bros."

"Yes, and it leaves me with contemptuous surprise. I _know_ that I'm _not_ attracted to you! Besides, you have your Pepper. You feel the same way, correct?" Bruce seems to be getting fairly agitated for seemingly no reason. I realize that Tony knows how to handle this situation.

"Bruce, calm down. It's only a joke, and of course I like you, but obviously not in that creepy gay kind of way. I have nothing against them, but that's just not me. I'm just a rather very awesome man that loves women. Now then, I'm tired. See you tomorrow," Tony says, leaving the lab again.

I look to Bruce. "Do you overreact to a lot of things? Tony seems to know what he's doing."

Bruce blushes. "I'm sorry, but yes, I do, sometimes."

"We all do. Don't worry about it too much."

"Alright. Thanks."

"I thought that earlier you said you wanted to go to bed right away."

"I needed to wait for Tony to leave. Now I can finish what I was doing earlier," he says, walking over to the other table and pulling out a manila envelope. "And by the way, I actually thought the Science Bros was very creative. I like it."

"What's in that?" I ask.

"Don't tell Tony, because he wanted me to get rid of this, but it's Elise's files from the SHIELD Base in Pennsylvania. There are millions of interesting things that they found. I myself have a few questions for her."

"Don't ask them."

Bruce scowls. "Why not?"

"They will likely upset her. I can answer them for her."

"That helps, but would you look at this file? It confuses even myself. They took samples of Elise's hair over the period of time, and the genetics on it say that her hair was becoming a strawberry blonde. It is strange. Her brain is a complex structure, even as it is a human brain, but it stands alone from other files that I've seen. I also noticed that they pulled numerous amounts of cobalt and silver from her system. She also seems to not react at all to small amounts of any kind of radiation. When she becomes frightened and goes into these, panic attacks, as Natasha has told me, she gains an incredible amount of strength and agility, an inhuman amount if you were to compare it to, say, you, for example," he says.

"That could all be from the radiation exposure. Her father did beat her, too, which was the cause of her panic attacks, I believe. She was ecstatic to move out and in with us when we all bought that house, err, Darren's, Vanessa's, Sarah's and Jared's parents basically bought it for us.

"Who's Sarah?"

"Elise's _other_ best friend. She was killed when a dirty bomb went off. It also killed nearly everybody else either immediately, soon after, or because of the radiation they died. Elise was the only survivor that was stranded there for an extended period of time in the blast zone. Everyone was confused, but relieved, as to why she didn't die as well."

"Interesting…"

~Elise

I wake up to a knock on my door. Startled, I creep up to the door cautiously and listen through it.

"Come on, Elise! Wakey wakey!" Dmitri shouts through the door, "We've got a busy day today! I'll be at breakfast! They have _pancakes_!"

"Alright! Meet you there!" I call back through the door. I quickly get ready and, once I leave my room, I check my watch. It is 5:23 a.m. Yes, my watch tells me the time as well. I find the break room, where Dmitri is. After getting some of my own food and sitting down next to her, she starts talking to me.

"Elly! You're late! Check your tablet! Mr. Stark wants us at Dr. Banner's office by six!" Dmitri presses, "What does yours say?" Taking a bite of toast, I go to the schedule app on my tablet and, sure enough, "I had Mr. Tony Stark do your morning schedule, as we will be doing a joint mentoring today, and will most likely do so nearly every day. Thanks, Dr. Banner," was on the top of it. Underneath that, the schedule said 6:00: Be at Dr. Banner's office. The rest was blank. I quickly finish my breakfast and we leave to Bruce's office. We open the door of his office and Bruce is standing in the middle of his lab. He turns around and sees us.

"Oh, I see you're here," he looks at his watch, "and early, too. Come on in. Tony left just a bit ago. He'll return soon." We walk inside and he begins to show us around. "We don't really have much here, since it may be broken at any second, but look around. If you don't know what something is, just ask me or Tony if he happens to know."

"I'm ba-ack!" Tony says, entering the office at that moment. He walks over to the couch in the corner of the room and sits down on it. "I honestly have no clue what to do right now. I guess you know, though, don't you, Bruce?" he continues.

"Yes, actually, I do know what we're supposed to be doing," Bruce replies, "We're going to run some tests, if that's okay with you two. We were required to do so, since Fury wants us to, and we can't not do it, so we need to run tests."

"That's alright with us," Dmitri and I say.

"Great!" Tony jumps up, "Let's begin!"

I sit on the chair next to the same table Bruce usually sits at, letting him do whatever he needed to do for testing, as did Dmitri. I recall him taking blood tests, skin and hair tests, eye examinations, and a bunch of other random things. About fifteen minutes later, Bruce speaks again.

"That's all the tests I have for today. I know we'll have to do more, but I'd like to not get ahead of ourselves. Six simple tests today should be the limit for the week or so. I can look at the samples over the course of a few days and run different tests on those," Bruce folds his hands as he tells us this.

A few hours later, at about 11:00 a.m., we are all in the break room for lunch. Tony and Dmitri are eating and watching the television, sitting on the couch. Bruce and I sit down at the small table, eating lunch. He finishes before I did, surprisingly, and begins to explain to me some findings.

"I'm not sure if this is true or not, but I discovered your DNA to be, I don't know how to put this, quite unstable. It is like, err, supercharged evolution, and it seems to be changing rapidly. Did you know about this?" he says.

"Well, I knew that I sometimes seem to change to be like the person I'm the most attached to, but I never thought of it like that. I've always called myself a chameleon in this world," I tell him. We continue to talk until we realize an hour had gone by.

Bruce stands up. "It seems to me that this will be our daily routine for the next few weeks or so," he concludes. We then return to his lab where Tony and Dmitri are waiting for us.

"Finally!" Tony greets us, "We've been waiting for you for forever! We got bored and decided to have a drink. Want one?"

Bruce shakes his head. "No, not today," he tells Tony.

He shrugs, "Have it your way. So what are we going to do now? Everyone else has their pet slaving away doing a bunch of boring stuff."

"Well, we've done some DNA testing, and they aren't radiating. I've sent out some samples for a friend of mine to do testing on as well. I'd say we stress test them, but I honestly think we should save that for another day and just relax until I can do a full DNA analysis and get test results back from my friend," Bruce says, "Did you want to play Monopoly or Battleship?"

"No!" Tony replies, unhesitant.

"Chemistry?" Bruce suggests.

"Sure."

We spend the rest of the day messing around with chemistry and on the Internet or some random other thing and decide to finish our session around 21:00. Walking back to our quarters, I realize that Bruce Banner's room was fairly close to mine and Dmitri's and next to his was Tony's. They must be just like us, which obviously isn't a bad thing. But I can't help but wonder what is to come of me in the next few weeks?

Dmitri and I say good night to each other and I go into my room. A delivery of clothes is on my bed. I fold them and place each one in my dresser. Everyone's room seems to be the same size, since Dmitri's is as well. My bed is against the wall on the hallway side, with a nightstand next to that. The dresser is on the opposite side of the room and across from that is a desk. A lamp sits on the nightstand. I put on pajamas I had received and put my dirty clothes into a laundry chute that is near the door.

It was about two weeks later and we had worked out our schedules. We'd wake up anywhere from five at the earliest and nine at the latest, then eat breakfast. At noon or so Dmitri and I would meet up with Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark. We'd then run tests on either Dmitri or I, or occasionally, other things or people. Every weekend Bruce and Dmitri would have a drink or few with Tony. I always turned it down and they wouldn't press on.

Every once in a while Tony would leave to visit Pepper, leaving Dmitri with Bruce and I. We would play board games in Bruce's office. I had asked him why Tony never wanted to play these games with him. He told us that Tony cheated a lot and it would make him fairly irritated to the point of the Other Guy almost coming out.

"I guess someone else _does_ have it worse than I do," I say.

"What do you mean?" Bruce responds, suddenly very interested.

"Well," I begin, "I get stressed out easily. When I say stressed out it can mean not only literally stressed out, but also scared, angry or upset. I seem to always be one little poke away from snapping, and possibly hurting someone, all the time. I can use these emotions to my advantage; however, and though that is true, that fact occasionally backfires, usually causing me to break something."

Bruce looked concerned. "This seems fairly similar to my, er, condition, I guess you could say," he tells us.

"So Elise is like a mini-Hulk, huh?" Dmitri chimes in.

Bruce smiles a little. "I guess you could say that; though I hardly believe that kind of congruency is a good thing," he replies.

"I wasn't always like this," I add.

"Neither was I," he counters. The next few moments are filled by an awkward silence between us three. Steve Rogers then comes over and interrupts us.

"We're having a meeting. Come on over quickly," he says quickly and leaves. Bruce stands up and begins to follow him, looking back at us and resuming his walk to the usual meeting room.

We arrive at the meeting room and stand near the other apprentices. I notice extra chairs at the Avengers' table. Nick Fury gestures to the chairs.

"Have a seat," he says to us, "I had decided you should get your own chairs, but you have to earn their keep." We all find seats next to our mentors and Dmitri sits next to me, since Tony is still missing.

"What are we doing now?" I whisper to Bruce.

"I believe he's going to announce some findings," he tells me.

Fury then speaks up, "I have some announcements and things to hand out. While I speak, your things will be handed out. Aright, so we have found no proof so far, Avengers, but your test results have come back for those that have done them. I realize that Mr. Stark isn't present, yet I will tell you that we seem to have some negative energy in the base. I would advise you to look out for any shady presences. You are dismissed."

"What does it say?" I ask Bruce.

He is solemn, "I see your DNA seems to be just as I had expected. It's as unstable as some radioactive elements."

"Can we fix it?"

"I don't know..."

"About that negative energy Fury had mentioned," I change the subject, "I believe I know who that may be."

"Really?"

"Yes, I have the ability to obtain information about someone without really asking. For instance, I could tell you have a dark past that I'm sure you don't enjoy talking about. Tony is a, well, you could say he's an ass, but once you get to know him, he still is one, but he's still fun to be around."

"How did you get all this? Dmitri mentioned something about radiation earlier to me."

"When I was younger, we had some metal that had Cobalt-60 in it and, well, I fell on it and some of it splintered off into my arms. Every once in a while I can feel the radiation; it's like a prickly sensation that also burns. We did manage to get quite a bit out, though. On my eighteenth birthday, I went with one of my best friends to the city and, while we were in the car, a bomb went off. My friend was killed, along with many others, and the iridium in the bomb gave many others cancer. I was stranded for at least a week there. I was the only one unaffected by it," I explain as tears well up in my eyes and I look away.

"Elise," he says quietly to comfort me.

"No, no, I'll be fine."

"That's not what I meant."

"What?" I look up at him again.

"Your eyes are bright green."

"You're joking, right? That doesn't usually happen. I thought that stopped a long time ago."

"Well they are. They're just a natural bright green, but they're still not navy blue."

"My eyes usually only turn green under certain conditions, but this also happens sometimes when," I pause, overtaken by a headache, "I'm... stressed..." I say, passing out.

"She's waking up," I hear Tony say. I open my eyes to see Bruce and Tony standing by my bed. Dmitri is standing behind them.

"Oh, good, you're up," Bruce tells me, "I carried you here after you passed out. Tony came back a while ago and tried to get me to leave because he knew Dmitri would stay with you, but it was sort of my fault."

"It's alright," I say, "I know this isn't the first time this has happened. I pass out when I get too upset, angry, or stressed."

"That apparently makes two of you, Banner," Tony points out.

"We had this conversation while you were on your date with Pepper," Bruce replies.

"Oh, I guess cool things only happen when I'm gone," he whines.

"I want to punch you right now," I retort, interrupting their conversation, and sit up.

Tony seems a bit intimidated by my brash comment. He smirks. "I guess you two have a lot in common, eh, Bruce?" he asks sarcastically. Bruce just shrugs and begins to leave.

"I'm going to bed. It's late. You two should go, too, and leave Elise to rest," he says. The others quickly follow, saying goodbye to me.

"Hey Bruce, it's the weekend and we've got nothin' to do, so, did you want a drink?" Tony asks Bruce, waving a bottle of beer in front of him. Dmitri and I are sitting on the couch in the corner of the room, listening to them. We had been with the Avengers for a month and things were slowing down. Bruce had come to find the subject of Science Bros quite amusing and as far as he was concerned, none of it was true. Tony had told us he hoped the Drunk Science part of it was true and wanted to test this, yet had never gotten Bruce to have more than just one or two drinks, but was set on doing so today.

"Aw, alright, Tony, I guess it'll be fine for today, but they have to, too," he says, pointing to us. Tony smiles and hands the bottle to Bruce, then one to each of us. I stare at it blankly.

"I've never had alcohol in a while. It doesn't sit too well with me," I tell them.

"Oh, come on! Just today and besides, if Bruce has to, then you do too," Tony directs me. I look to Bruce, who gives me his "just do it already" look. I take a drink, wincing at the bitter taste, and Dmitri gives me the thumbs up. We were watching Science Bros videos while Tony had successfully gotten Bruce wasted.

A few hours, and drinks, later, we are chatting about random subjects, changing it every so often. We are all quite intoxicated and messing around with some of the drinks, pretending to be doing chemistry with them. I grab a test tube of some tequila and start to pour it into a grape wine, but Bruce grabs my wrist.

"No! You can't mix those together! It'll cause an explosion and bad things will happen!" he tells me. I take the wine I am holding in my free hand and drink it. Bruce smiles awkwardly and Tony laughs at us.

"You guys," he says, "are totally, ridiculous and, um, I-I don' know. Whatever and stuff."

"Looks like somebody's a bit short o' vocabaluary. Ya know wha' I'm-a sayin'?" Dmitri is slurring her speech and saying things wrong, causing everyone to laugh even more.

"You two are so _irreculously _drunk," I tell them.

"Elise," Bruce says quietly and lays a hand on my upper arm, leaning in close to my ear, "I don't think irreculously is a word."

"Yes it is!"

"Describe it for me."

"It's just like incredibly."

"Incredibly is the word I believe you should've used, then," he looks me in the eye. His eyes had an eerie green tint to them. I start laughing and then Bruce pokes me in the side with a pencil.

"_Raaaah!_" I yell, pushing him. We wrestle for a while before he throws me to the ground. Steve Rogers pulls Bruce away seconds later. Tony and Dmitri are laughing, just as they were beforehand, but are quickly silenced by a glare from Steve.

"What are you doing?" he demands.

"We were just, having some fun," Bruce explains, "Nothing was going wrong. I'm fine and so is Elsie. Isn't that right?"

"Yup. We're just peachy," I say, still lying on the floor, and giggle because Bruce had mispronounced my name. Darren was standing next to the door, waiting for his mentor.

Steve lets go of Bruce and begins to leave, but turns and looks over his shoulder to say one last thing. "It's getting late. You all should be getting to bed," he tells us.

"Alright, Rogers, we'll do that," Bruce replies.

Tony stands up, disappointed. "Do we really have to go? It was just getting interesting," he inquires.

"Yes. I'm sorry," Bruce answers. Tony and Dmitri leave after saying their goodbyes. Bruce helps me stand back up and, concerned, asks me "Are you really okay, Elise? You hit your head pretty hard."

"I'll probably be sore tomorrow, but other than that, I'll be fine."

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Obviously."

"Oh, yeah. Remember, if you need to talk to me, our quarters are right next to each other."

"I knew that already."

"I'll leave the door unlocked for you."

"M'kay."

"Alright then," Bruce concludes and we leave his office after shutting it down, returning to our rooms for the night.

I wake up. It is still late in the evening, or early in the morning, as the hall lights are still dim, and I wait until there are no guards around and sneak over to Bruce's room. I open the door and peer in.

"It's alright, Elise. I know it's you," I hear Bruce's voice come from the darkness. I walk inside and shut the door behind me. He turns a lamp on and is sitting on the side of his bed.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I can hear you out and about in the hallway, and besides, who else is going to come in my room at this time of the night? Can you not sleep?"

"I was, but I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep."

"Lucky. I didn't sleep a wink," he tells me, standing up and walking towards me. His eyes seem to be glowing a faint green.

"Are you okay?" I ask him, gesturing to his eyes.

"Oh, yeah, that. Alcohol does weird things to me. I was going to go back to my office. Did you want to come with?" he replies.

"Sure," I answer and follow him back to his lab.


	4. Chapter 3

We enter Bruce's lab. He turns a single lamp on that he had placed on the table he works on. He has put on glasses and is reading some papers that I can't quite see from here. I am standing by the counter on the opposite side of the room from the couch. There is a folder on the counter with my name on it. I look to Dr. Banner, but he is busy, so I decide to open to folder. I am astonished by what I find.

There is a note on the top that says:

"Dear Dr. Banner, I assure you that the creature you contain is far too dangerous for you to keep. It may cause you to have an incident and you, of course, don't want that to happen. Its DNA structure is more advanced and unpredictable than yours is, so I do recommend that you dispose of it immediately. You do not know what it is capable of. The samples that you've sent to me only seem to be progressing toward something similar to your state. It won't be any longer and we will find ourselves with another Hulk that we can never be able to detain. Terminate subject immediately."

I go through the rest of the papers. I find more notes:

"You haven't terminated your test subject yet, Dr. Banner? Haven't I warned you enough already? It is in your best interest to do so…"

"I've given up trying to convince you to rid the world of a time bomb…"

"Thank you for showing me more about the Test Subject. I am sorry that I ever told you to terminate her. She is the closest thing that you have given me, other than yourself, in testing samples. In would be in your best interest, however, to keep her away from the Other Guy and large amounts of any gamma radiation. The tests that I did for those ended terribly. Combining any of your DNA with hers results in instant transformation, as does with gamma radiation. The result of the radiation test wasn't as sudden, but just as devastating. I would like to see the test subject and you again. Please write back. I do believe that we may be able to cure her, and possibly you. I would appreciate it dearly if I am able to visit you and Mr. Stark when you return from your mission. Gryphon would as well enjoy coming over.

Best Regards,  
Geoffrey Banner"

I stare at the name for a moment. Geoffrey Banner? Did Bruce have relatives that nobody knew about? And who is Gryphon? I need to know more. This must have been the person Dr. Banner was sending the test samples to. It confuses me to think Bruce has outside family. He never mentions it, but then again, neither does Tony.

I turn to face Bruce. "Dr. Banner?"

"Yes, Elise?"

"Who is this Geoffrey Banner? And Gryphon as well?"

He sighs. "Geoffrey is my nephew. Well, he's my cousin's son. Gryphon is one of Tony's relatives that Geoffrey's parents adopted as a teenager. They apparently knew each other somehow."

I decide that I'll eventually find out. "Alright."

"Are you feeling any effects of the alcohol?" Bruce asks me. "You seem unaffected."

"No," I answer. "I never do. I can drink twice as much as Dmitri, which would be a ton, and nothing would happen. I once took a breath test, since Dmitri made me swerve around on the road once, and after having a few drinks only a bit earlier, I blew a nothing. It was strange. The policeman thought the test was broken, so I had a blood test, and that showed nothing as well."

"Strange," Bruce replies, returning to his reading.

I turn and walk over to the couch, falling into it. I don't feel well again. Bruce seems to have noticed because he is suddenly standing up and walking towards me.

"Elise, you don't look so well. What is wrong?"

I lose it, the last meal that I ate, anyways.

"Jarvis, get help," he says to nobody.

«Yes, sir,» a voice chimes.

I start to fall to the ground, but Bruce stops me.

"We need to get you to the infirmary, now," he tells me.

I don't say anything, but Clint appears out of nowhere and picks me up. I don't find myself hating him right now, possibly due to the look on his face. He seemed mildly depressed.

They take me to the infirmary and set me down on the bed. Bruce examines me while Clint watches from afar. He grabs an IV and looks for a needle.

"Ouch!" he says, having pricked his finger on the needle. He then wipes it off and puts it into my right arm.

"Is that safe?" Clint asks, but Bruce ignores him, too focused to answer.

"Her pulse is too fast. She has a fever of 40 degrees Celsius." He looks down at the IV that he hooked me up to. There is blood seeping out of where the needle was inserted into. He pulls it out.

"That isn't supposed to happen, is it?" Clint asks.

"Most definitely not. I need to stop the bleeding."

My arm begins to burn. I look down at it. It is turning a faint green. The blood that is leaking from the same arm is a dark red with a bit of green as well.

"What the hell is going on?" Clint says, frustrated.

"I-" Bruce hesitates, "I don't know..."

Bruce then puts the IV into my other arm and wraps it lightly in a bandage.

"You should have used a different needle."

"Shut up and get out! Jarvis, put her under."

I fade out.

* * *

~Bruce

Elise is in a medically induced coma and I've kicked out Clint. I need someone who can help me.

"Jarvis, send Tony and Dmitri down here. Call Geoffrey Banner."

«Yes, sir. Would you still like me available during your conversation?» Jarvis responds from the speakers Tony has placed in the room.

"Yes, Jarvis."

There's a small ringing noise as his number is dialed.

"Hello?" Geoffrey answers.

"Hey, Geoff, this is Bruce. I need your help."

"What happened? Did you destroy a third-world country?"

"No, it's the test subject. Something's gone terribly wrong."

"Get her to Stark Tower. I'll meet you there."

"But the mission..."

"The others finished it last night. Gryphon told me. Tell Fury you're going home."

"Fine. Jarvis, contact Fury. Let him know that we are returning to Stark Tower."

«Yes, sir.»

There's a small silence. Fury is on the line now.

"Dr. Banner, why do you have to leave?"

"I have emergency situation Bypass-109."

"Very well. You are all released to Stark Tower."

At that moment Dmitri and Tony walk in.

"Oh, shit. What the hell is wrong with Elise?" Dmitri demands.

"We don't know. We're all going back to Stark Tower, now. Help me get her to the carrier. Geoffrey, be there before we get there."

"Alright, Bruce. See you then." He hangs up.

Tony looks at me. "Jarvis, set the emergency bed to 'Shipping Mode.'"

«Yes, sir.»

A small light on the bed frame turns on green.

Tony grabs the bar. "Let's go," he says.

Dmitri pauses. "I'll meet you there with the others. I have to do something first." She runs off.  
~

All twelve of us are in the carrier on our way to Stark Tower. The greenness of Elise's skin is slowing down after being out for so long.

"Tell me why the rest of us had to come with, Dr. Banner," Natasha says.

"We have not finished the mentoring yet. When we do, you may all return to wherever you desire," I tell her.

She turns and leaves, returning to the passenger area. I check Elise's vital signs. Dmitri walks in with Tony.

"Alright, now that there's a bit less of an emergency, how did this happen?" Tony inquires, gesturing to Elise's arm.

"I'm not too sure myself..." I answer.

"And you think Geoffrey has the answer?"

"Most likely."

«Dr. Banner, we've arrived at the landing zone. Vehicles will take you to your destination,» the speakers announce.

"Let's get ready to go, then," I say.

We arrive at Stark Tower. I look up at the top floor.

"Seems a bit taller than I remember," I say.

Tony smirks. "Had to redesign it after a little 'accident' destroyed half of the building. There's still a landing pad on the roof, and the top ten floors are still R&D. Added a bit more of a personal lounge just below that. That's where the landing pad is. It's been renamed as Avengers Tower, but not everyone knows that. That, and Stark Tower sounds so much better."

"Where do we take Elise?"

"Floor ninety-seven. It has the best infirmary equipment. I'll tell the others to head to floor eighty-nine and wait in the lounge. Pepper is in the lobby and will take them. Afterwards, she leaves for a meeting in Los Angeles."

We make it to the infirmary in Stark Tower. Elise is being checked over by Geoffrey. He turns to me.

"The needle," he begins, "did you originally put it in her right arm?"

"Yes."

"Did you make any contact with said needle?"

"I did prick my finger on it. I cleaned it off, though. It was the only one we had."

"Shit. That wasn't good enough. She's turning into you. We need to remove the contaminated blood and then replace it with fresh blood," he holds up a vial of purple liquid, "and this. Now."

I scramble to do what he's told me to do.

* * *

~Vanessa

I'm in the lounge with the others as they converse with each other about what is going on.

"Is she going to die?" I hear Hunter ask.

"Dr. Banner and Geoffrey are experienced in their work. I'm sure she's going to be fine," Natasha answers.

"But what is to befall of her? Will her condition progress? What happens if she has a panic attack now?" Jared responds.

Dmitri is pacing in the hallway, talking to someone on the phone. Clint Barton is perched on the shelf, talking quietly with Thor and Steve Rogers. They're standing a few feet from him. Natasha, Jared and Hunter are sitting at the table with me. Tony and Darren are sitting on the couches, along with Tony's relative, Gryphon Stark.

I get up and walk over to them. Gryphon might have an answer to what is happening.

"Gryphon, do you know what is wrong with Elise?" I ask.

"Geoff didn't tell me much, but she is contaminated by Bruce's blood. They're trying to remove the contaminated blood and replace it with fresh blood and a serum that Geoffrey created. He never told me what it did."

"Really? He apparently knows more than Bruce does."

"Geoff was the one that had more time to study Bruce. He's discovered quite a bit about the 'Other Guy' and told Bruce of them. They tend to keep all of it a secret, though."

"Interesting..."

Dmitri walks in with a man about the same height as Thor, possibly even taller. He is blonde and has hazel eyes.

"Guys, this is Agent Dick Wimpykid," she announces.

"It's actually Richard Clemencyn. Um, Dmitri, could you direct me to Miss Iridium? I need to examine her before I can make a clear diagnosis," the man adds.

"After a short introduction," Dmitri replies.

"Shall I wait in the hallway?" Richard asks.

"Go ahead." He returns to the hall. "Alright, that was an old friend of mine. He works as a SHIELD agent and is here to help with the 'situation' that is occurring," she tells us.

"Has he told you anything so far?" Hunter asks.

I feel as if everyone is obsessing over Elise just a little too much. I stand up and walk to the door. Darren follows me.

"Getting too hot in there?" he asks me as we walk to the elevator.

"A little too annoying, I'd say."

"Yeah, I do suppose that they shouldn't worry about her as much as they do."

I press the button to get to the ground floor.

"So where are we going?" Darren inquires.

"Down to the lobby for a while."

"Oh, I see. Until the others calm down?"

"When Dmitri leaves, I'll go back up there."

The elevator door opens, and an elegant woman with long, wavy, strawberry blonde hair and baby blue eyes greets us.

"Why, hello... We've been waiting for you," she says in a smooth voice.

* * *

~ Dmitri

I watch Vanessa and Darren leave. Typical Vanessa, always being selfish, and typical Darren, being Vanessa's bitch. I turn away from them. Dick is still out in the hallway, waiting for me.

"He is a part of the security and science branch of SHIELD agents," I continue, "and also an old friend, as I've said earlier. This is why he was selected to be stationed here. He needs to get a better look at Elise so he can tell if it has occurred before. He can explain other questions later. I'll be back later."

I walk into the hall and look into the break room once more before closing the door. This may be the last time I see them, for I do not know what waits in the infirmary for us. They may never see Elise again, or she might never be the same again.

Steve and Thor are on the first couch. Clint and Natasha are on the second. Darren and Vanessa have vanished, likely down to the lobby. Tony should be in the infirmary already with Bruce. Hunter is looking out the window; Jared not too far away. It is quiet. I close the door.

I don't know where the infirmary that Elise is in is. Dick and I went to the elevator and we step inside.

"Where to?" Dick asks.

"I don't know. Let's ask," I reply. "Jarvis, are you there?"

«Yes, Miss Markov. What would you like? » JARVIS answers from nowhere.

"Could you please take the elevator to the infirmary Elise is in? Mr. Stark and Dr. Banner should be there too."

«Indeed, Miss Markov. Going up, » was his answer.

The elevator starts going up, and we stand in silence for a while.

"For such an odd reason," Dick says, "that we meet again."

By now I had calmed down, despite anyone's impending doom. I wish I wasn't so calm. I shouldn't be.

"Yeah, it's a little disappointing," I reply.

We go up a few floors.

«You will arrive at your destination in ten seconds,» JARVIS tells us.

"Great," I say, "because it can't get any more awkward than this."

"Surely you don't still hate me? It's been five years since we last met willingly in person," he responds.

Before I can answer, the elevator dings and the door opens.

«Elise's room is all the way down the hall and the last on the right, » JARVIS directs us.

Someone is sitting on the bench just across the hall from the door. It's Bruce.

"What are you doing out here, Dr. Banner? Don't they need you in there?" I ask him.

Bruce looks up, his eyes showing a faint green. He seems a bit upset.

"They kicked me out," he answers.

"What? Why?" I continue.

They didn't say much, only that I keep getting DNA on everything. Gloves didn't even help."

"We can still go in, right?"

"Yes, go ahead. They could use help."

As we walk in, I hear Dick say, "Does Tony even know what he's doing?"

Elise is in her hospital bed, which was what I saw first. Most of what I can hear is someone going through a bin, or something similar, the machine buzzing, and a few ambient noises. Elise is asleep with an oxygen mask over her face. Her right arm is still a faint green. Her fingernails are a stained lime green.

We close the door behind us and I see Tony sitting in a chair with a StarkPad in his hands. A man similar to Bruce is digging through a dresser full of medical supplies. Tony looks up from his StarkPad, likely to be sure that Bruce hasn't returned.

"Nice of you to visit, Dmitri. I see you've brought a SHIELD agent with. Who is he?" Tony greets us. The other man looks up at us. I decide to let Dick introduce himself. He glances at me and realizes my plan.

"I am Agent Richard Clemencyn," he says. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Stark."

"Thanks," Tony replies, "and you should meet this guy, Geoffrey Banner, Bruce's nephew."

"I thought Bruce was an only child," I remark.

"He is. As am I. It's just too complicated to explain our nephews' relations to us."

"That would make sense, but you guys really _are_ related, right? You and Gryphon?"

"Yes, and so is Bruce and Geoffrey."

Geoffrey holds his hand out. "Nice to meet you, Dmitri. Tony told me a bit about you," he says as we shake hands. He does the same to Dick. "And you too, Agent Clemencyn."

"May I take a look at Miss Iridium?" Dick asks Geoffrey.

"I suppose, and call me Geoff, if you'd like."

He walks over to Elise with Geoff. I sit in the chair next to Tony.

"So," Tony says nonchalantly, "is Agent C here to replace Coulson?"

"Um, no, he isn't. He's an old friend of mine and was approved by SHIELD to come."

"So you asked?"

"Fury had him come. We had met earlier under, other, circumstances. Dick was the only one that would be able to assimilate easily."

"Did you really call him Dick?"

"Don't hate, appreciate."

"Note taken."

Dick shakes his head. "I've got nothing," he concludes. "Never saw this before."

"It's odd," Geoff explains, "that Bruce's blood triggered this, a miniscule amount, the size of an atom, almost."

"Did you check for alcohol poisoning?" I ask.

"Bruce told me to. I found nothing. I'll never know why he said to."

"Is she going to wake up soon?"

"I'm guessing tomorrow, once the antidote has taken its hold. I had to make it quickly, so it will take a while for the effects to be complete. The green skin stain will disappear in about two or so days, should she get a sufficient liquid intake. Water, it should be no soft drinks, coffee, or alcohol until the green is gone. And she needs to keep away from Bruce until the antidote's twenty-four hours is up. We should all leave her to rest. Jarvis, keep an eye on Miss Iridium for me, please. If there is any change in vitals, contact me. I will remain on this floor," Geoff explains.

«Yes, sir. »

"Geoff, there is a break room three rooms down on the opposite side of the hallway. Feel free to stay there for a bit," Tony tells Geoffrey after standing up.

We all leave Elise's infirmary room. Bruce is no longer sitting on the bench. Dick and I follow Tony to the elevator.

"Jarvis, break room, please," he says.

«Yes, sir. »

We arrive back at the break room. Everybody is still in the room. They are watching the television.

"Alright, guys, nobody is dying today. So what are you doing?" Tony asks.

"Watching the news," Clint replies.

"That's boring," Tony says, sitting down on the couch.

We join the others in watching tv, and, by the time it was noon, all of us have gathered around the table in the break room to listen to Tony Stark announce what we will all do next.

"We will be here for a while, so I figured I would let you all have your own room. You can pick your own, too. But they have to be around the sixtieth to seventy-fifth floors, with the exceptions of floors sixty-three and seventy-two. Class dismissed," he announces.

The worst tired feeling comes over me. I turn to Dick. "Even though it's only noon, I feel like I'm going to sleep until tomorrow night."

«Miss Markov, wake up, please. »

I've been awake for a bit, but I just realize that I am. I sit up.

"Jarvis, how long have I been asleep?"

«Since two in the afternoon. It is currently seven in the morning. Master Stark suggested that you visit Elise before they wake her up. »

"Alright."

I get up and get ready. I grab a bite to eat before I go to the elevator and head for the infirmary.

"Jarvis, 97th floor, please."

«Yes, Miss Markov. »

I stand in silence as the elevator moves ten floors up. It stops. Clint and Hunter walk in.

"Where are you two going?" I ask.

It is Clint who answers. "Floor eighty-three. It has training rooms. Hunter will be doing agility training today."

"I'm going to visit Elise before they wake her up. Care to visit?"

Hunter opens his mouth. "Sur-"

"No. We don't have time."

"Alright," I reply. Hunter looks crestfallen.

We arrive on the 83rd floor. The two leave and I am once again alone. The door stays open for a moment and Bruce appears out of nowhere.

"Let me guess. Not floor 97?"

"No, I'm going to visit Elise."

"I thought you couldn't."

"Yes, but I can still look through the window. I will then go to the laboratory two floors above it. Feel free to visit whenever. I'll be there all day."

"I will, thanks."

We arrive on the infirmary floor and both walk to Elise's room and I walk in, leaving Bruce in the hallway.

Geoffrey is already inside, checking Elise's vitals. He examines her arm and eyes. He adds a bit more of the purple antidote to her IV. Geoffrey turns to look at me as I step into the room.

"Bruce isn't coming, is he?" Geoffrey asks.

"He's in the hall. Did you want to talk to him?"

"Yes, I did."

"Are you waking Elise up today?"

"Yeah, we're actually going to do that soon. I need Bruce here in case something goes wrong. Stay here while I have a small chat with Bruce."

"Okay. Go crazy."

He frowns upon hearing me say "crazy." It must bother him. He leaves the room. I look through the window and see Bruce stand up.

I look at Elise. The green patch on her arm has shrunk and faded, leaving an area of about three inches in diameter the long way. Her nails have returned to normal. Geoffrey returns to the room with Steve. Why is he here?

"Are you ready, Dmitri?"

I nod.

"Jarvis, it's time to wake up Elise."

«Sedatives nullified. She shall awaken whenever. »

We wait a while.

"Elise, get up, please," I say.


	5. Chapter 4

~Elise

"Elise, get up, please."

I hear someone talking, Dmitri, I believe it is. I hear, well, everything. There are machines buzzing to my left. Three other people are in the room with me. I can hear them breathing. I hear someone's pulse spike.

I smell everything too. There are two guys and Dmitri in here. One smells like Steve, but I cannot recognize the third person. I smell sterilized metal. There's a scent of medicine and acid in the air.

I, however, can't feel anything right now. It is slowly coming back to me, though. I open my eyes.

"Good, you're awake," Steve says.

"How long have I been out?" I ask.

"Since yesterday," Dmitri tells me.

"W-where are we? The last place I remember being in was the lab in the S.H.I.E.L.D. carrier. I was reading a letter from someone named Gee-off-ree. Bruce explained a bit of it and..."

Headache. I cup my hands around my temples. Too much noise. Too much noise...

"Miss Iridium," the stranger says softly, "that man, 'Jee-off-ree,' as you say, is me."

"And his name is Jeff-ree," Steve adds.

"Steve, shut up. She has a little bit of a British-Australian accent," Dmitri whispers.

"Where is Bruce?"

"Hallway," Geoffrey answers.

"Why?"

"He couldn't be in here."

"_Why?_"

"Just... Just look at your arm."

I glance down at my left arm. Nothing inconspicuous. The other? Yes, there it is: a faded green patch of skin on the inside my elbow. Is that it? I think so.

"Bruce did that," Steve interrupts.

"It was an accident, dink!" Dmitri hisses.

"Dink? I do not understand that."

I answer for her. "Dink means an idiot or something that is completely useless. A jink is the opposite, a genius or something that is useful for a number of reasons. We made it up."

"Oh, alright."

"I'm famished. I need food. Now."

"Fine. Let's all go get some breakfast."

"I already ate," Dmitri confesses, "but I'll come with. It _is_ lunchtime, after all."

"Let's go, then!" I say. I place my feet on the ground, glancing up at Steve. He seems a bit too uneasy, as does Geoffrey, who flicks a brown, curly lock of hair off of his forehead. It falls back down. Dmitri holds the door open for me. Geoffrey leaves first, I follow him, and Dmitri catches up to me in the hallway, leaving Steve to walk behind us.

"So where are we again?" I ask.

"Stark Tower," Dmitri tells me. "On the ninety-seventh floor. We'll be headed to floor eighty-nine to get some food."

We reach the elevator. Geoffrey pushes the button to the eighty-ninth floor. I count the floors as we go down: ninety-six, ninety-five, ninety-four, Steve shuffles his feet, ninety-two ninety-one, ninety, _ding_! The door opens to a large, sunlight-filled room.

The wall beside the elevator is a charcoal-gray to black color. The front half of the room has a one-way window across the entire wall. The floor is raised around the wall without the window and three miniature steps separate the metaphorical hallway and kitchen from the lounge area. I follow Dmitri and Geoffrey along the raised floor to my right to the kitchen. Steve goes down the three steps and sits down on the black couch.

"So what do I get to eat?" I ask them.

"Bruce and I made a special meal for you. It will be the last of the antidote for you. We may be able to use this antidote as medication for Bruce," Geoffrey answers.

"Is it edible?"

"Yes, it is." He pulls something out of the refrigerator and places it in the microwave. He pushes a few buttons and it begins to buzz.

Another headache. I press my hands to my temples again.

"Elise, are you alright?"

I look up, ignoring the now-fading headache. "Yeah, I'm fine."

The elevator opens. I hear four people step into the room.

"Hello," Steve greets them.

"Hey, Spangles, what's up?" It is Tony Stark. I turn around and see Natasha, Clint and Hunter with him. Tony sees Dmitri and me.

"It's nice to see that Bruce's little buddy lived to tell the tale. Are they going to feed you that antidote-filled crap mystery-meat?" He pokes me in the side with a pencil.

"Stark, please. We don't don't know what she is capable of," Steve warns, standing up.

"I've heard that before, Steve. It's not exactly good for my consciousness," I mutter.

The microwave goes off with a loud ding similar to the elevator's bell. I cringe at the noise.

"Seems as if she's sensitive to certain sounds," Tony continues.

"Stark, don't you have anything better to do?" Steve asks. "Go play in the lab or something."

"A brilliant idea, Spangles. Thanks!" he returns to the elevator. "Dmitri, I'll be on floor 99 if you want to join." The elevator door closes.

"Here you go." Geoffrey hands me a small bowl of ground meat. "I know it won't taste the best, but you need to eat it. If you want something to go with it, there's sauce in the fridge. Go sit down outside and get some fresh air."

"Why did you put it in meat?"

"You need protein."

"May I make a salad out of this?"

"Go ahead. The lettuce is also in the fridge."

I pull out lettuce, cheese and tomatoes and put them in the bowl. I pour some French dressing in the salad and stir.

Natasha shows me to the door, and I look through the window to see what seems to be a landing pad. She follows me as I sit against the window and eat the salad indifferently.

"How do you feel?" she inquires.

"I'm well. Why do you ask?"

"Dr. Banner wanted me to ask you. I see that your green patch is fading away."

"Yes, it is," I answer. Natasha sighs and returns inside, leaving me alone to eat in silence. Well, silence apart from the hustle and bustle of the city. I eventually finish eating. I then stand up and return inside.

"That was fast," Geoffrey greets me, turning around to face me.

"I suppose it was," I reply. I turn to Dmitri after Geoffrey walks away. "Dmitri, what are we going to do today?"

She looks at me from the far side of the room. "Lab time. Tony stole your computer and is snooping on it. We should go make sure he hasn't changed anything."

I walk to the elevator after placing the empty dish on the counter near Geoffrey. "How do you even know this?"

"Tony told Bruce, who told Geoff, who told me."

"Let's go," I huff in anger.

The elevator door opens to a large white laboratory.

"Tony! Where the hell are you!?" I shout.

"Elise, calm down," Dmitri says frantically.

"Tony!" I get louder. I hear someone walking around the counter towards us.

"Elise, no!" Dmitri cries.

It happens before I realise. I reach my hand behind my head and it returns a fist. I see a blur of motion.

"Elise, that is a bad idea..."

I finally see who I'm looking at. Bruce has his hand raised and is holding my fist only inches from his face. His green eyes fade back to brown, and he pushes my anger, and hand, away.

I look down at my arm. The green patch grows, intensifies, and burns. I drop to my knees as Bruce backs away from me. My jaw locks from the pain, but it suddenly vanishes. The green patch disappears in front of my eyes.

Tony appears from the other side of the counter. "What just happened?" he inquires, seeing Dmitri and me.

"That punch was meant for you, Stark," I hiss.

"Oh, calm down, little Hulk. We don't need you to get angry right now. What brings you here?"

"Not funny," Bruce interrupts.

"I want my bloody computer back, now," I command.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what a computah is."

"To hell you don't!" I stand up and take a few steps towards him.

"Alright, alright, it's over here. Don't throw me out the window." Tony walks back to where he came from. I follow him to a white table where my laptop is waiting for me. It is on and there are open documents.

"Tony, what were you looking at?" I ask.

"Your research on gamma radiation is amazing. I believe it's almost better than Bruce's."

Bruce looks back. "What was that?"

Tony smirks. "Did you know gamma radiation has a color? And it's not green."

He walks over. "That's interesting. May I take a look at it?"

I take a deep breath. "Please don't go through my things. It's all I have, and it's not even finished yet."

"What do you mean, 'It's all I have?'" Bruce asks me.

"They don't have any real majors in college on gamma radiation itself, so a lot of it is what I've learned. Some of it is only a theory. That is my gamma radiation color theory. Gamma radiation would give off a special color under the correct circumstances. The color is both green and purple, yet it is not green or purple at all. You can see both colors at the same time; however, it is not the color you make by mixing the two together. It makes no sense at all, but it makes perfect sense. It's more of radiation philosophy. I wouldn't pay much attention to it."

All three stare at me, mesmerized, or better yet confused, by what I had said. Bruce then returns to what he was doing before. Tony walks up to Dmitri and me.

"You two should go with Clint and Natasha to floor eighty-three for some agility assessments. We weren't able to do so on the helicarrier, so this would be a good time to do that. I told them to be here in less than five minutes. Elise should not be near Bruce at the moment. Did you see what happened only minutes ago? You can pick up your laptop tonight, after I finish looking at it. I will save any changes I make to a separate document. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have experimenting to do." Tony turns and joins Bruce.

Dmitri and I walk to the elevator and sit on the couch next to it.

"Well, this will most likely get interesting," Dmitri says.

"Why? Because I beat the shite out of Clint when we first met?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of: you're pretty pissed off right now, so you'll be a dangerous opponent. But other than that, ah, I got nothing."

"I suppose," I say, leaning my head against the back of the couch. "that we should just wait for them to get here."

We sit for a while, listening to the laboratory noises. The elevator dings and the door opens.

"Glad you could join us," I greet Clint and Natasha.

"Get over here," Clint grumbles. "We'll explain everything when we get to there."

Dmitri sighs. "Jeez, everyone's in a bad mood today."

We join them in the elevator and are soon to floor 83.

"We're going to run some agility assessments on you two for Bruce and Tony. I assume that you both have some knowledge of self-defense, especially you, Elise," Natasha begins. We are standing in a dimly lit room with an obstacle course on the other side.

Clint looks up from where he is standing. He shuffles his feet.

Natasha continues speaking. "I would like to begin with a simple run on the obstacle course. We will time you. We will test your weapons skills and reflexes. We will end with basic self-defense."

"Let's go, then," I breathe, walking towards the obstacle course.

Dmitri looks behind us at Clint and Natasha. "Would you ship them?" she asks.

"What?"

"Clint and Natasha, would you ship them?"

I scratch my head. "No, I wouldn't."

"Why not?"

I sigh. "Because I ship Steve and Natasha. I call it Stevetasha."

"You got that off the internet, Elise," Dmitri replies.

"I did, but the fact that we live with people of the comic book world is just a bit odd. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Well, now that I think about it, it is a little weird, but hey, my favorite comic hero is my 'mentor' and second best friend," Dmitri tells me.

I smile. "I'm glad Tony hasn't replaced me. Don't worry, Bruce hasn't replaced you."

"I do have a question for you," she admits.

"Yeah?"

"Clint seems a little uncomfortable around you. Did you two do something?"

I look back at Natasha and Clint behind us, chatting quietly to each other. "I think it's because I punched him in the face. I'm sure he just wants me dead."

"Clint isn't that blunt, is he? I'm thinking it's because he finds a girl that can defend herself like you very intimidating."

"I'm sure he thinks I'm completely bonkers."

"Nah, that'd be too obvious. He ju-"

"Girls," Clint huffs, "stop chattering and get going."

I roll my eyes. "Alright, Dmitri, let's go."

* * *

~Hunter

I'm sitting on the couch on the eighty-ninth floor. Clint and Natasha have just left since Tony called them to have a training session with Dmitri and Elise. Agent Richard Clemencyn is here, along with Jared, Steve Rogers, Thor, and Geoffrey Banner.

"So why couldn't Gryphon be here?" I ask Geoffrey.

"He works as a biologist over on the other side of the city. Let's see; today is Monday. He likely won't be here until Friday," Geoffrey answers.

"Oh, alright," I reply.

"Speaking of where," Jared says, "has anyone seen Darren and Vanessa yet, today? They appear to have vanished."

Richard is the first to reply. "You're right. I haven't seen them at all today. Should we call them?"

"I'm sure they're just doing what they normally do," I answer. "Maybe they just want space."

"That is true, but perhaps they would have returned by now?" Jared continues.

"They might be here, but not on this floor, you know," I tell him.

"Alright, why don't we just go get something to eat?" Steve recommends.

"Like Pop Tarts," Thor adds.

"Did you want me to get some from the store? I would doubt Tony has any," Steve offers.

"Sure, I'll go with," Thor says.

I turn to Agent Clemencyn. "We should probably go with."

Jared stands up. "I won't be going with. I have to do chores."

"Alright, whoever is coming with, follow me," Steve tells us.

"Okie dokie then," I say and walk behind him.

* * *

~Vanessa

"Where are we?" I ask the woman who had brought us here. Her name is Tonya Helens.

"We are at the headquarters of the Alliance of War Technologies, or AWT. We are working on the AWTP, which is the Advancement of War Technologies Plan, and would like to know if you'd be interested in joining us. Let me show you around more before I explain the AWTP to you," she answers.

We are walking down a hallway and Tonya suddenly leads us into what looks like an interrogation room at a police station.

"This is where we consult all prospect employees. Have a seat," she tells us.

We sit down in chairs next to the silver-colored metallic table. Tonya pulls out a small phone and texts someone.

"The rest will be here shortly to explain why we brought you here," she says.

Soon enough, a woman and three men enter the room and sit down on the other side of the table. Tonya walks to our side and introduces us.

"This is Gennady Gavrilov," she begins, gesturing to a Russian man in a brown leather jacket. "This is Justin Hammer, the director of the AWT." It's a man in a gray business suit. "This is Loki Laufeyson." A man with long hair and a black and green suit. "And this is Justine Hammer." The only woman of the four she introduced. She has black hair with streaks of white. The man in the gray business suit takes Tonya's place.

"You are here on the very important business of joining the Alliance of War Technologies. We chose you because we believe you have the potential to do something great, and we are here to make that potential become more."

The one called Loki interrupts Mr. Hammer. "I do not believe that they have the potential that we require."

"They're perfect for it. If you have a problem with that, go find someone else with whatever it is that you see as potential."

"I will do that," Loki breathes, relaxing into the chair.

"Anyways, as I was saying, we would like you to join us and, in return, we will do something for you."

Justine Hammer slides over two manila envelopes to us, and we both take one. We open them and look inside, finding files of all of the Avengers, of our friends and us.

"Did you want us to kill them or something?" Darren asks.

"No, we'd like you to do something else. Justine, Gennady and Tonya are here to help you with it. Justine will teach you the ways around here, Vanessa. Darren, this is likewise, but with Gennady. Loki and the others will help both of you with certain skills."

Loki smirks. "Only if I get help," he says, "in finding someone for me to teach. I want to know your opinions about your friends."

Justin Hammer waves him off. "Don't listen to Loki. He's a little on the crazy side. You both apparently have a mutual friend that he hasn't seen in a while. Now, would you like me to show you around?"

I smile. "Yeah, I'd like that."


	6. Chapter 5

~Dmitri

Bruce walks into the lab. Elise and I are relaxing on the couch.

"You two should give me a few strands of your hair. I'm making something for you to experiment on. Here's the file from Tony," he says, handing me a file titled "Extremis Virus" on the front.

"This sounds interesting," I reply.

"I'll have Thor and Steve send up the machine."

"Machine? What machine?"

"It's a machine that can use both gamma radiation and the Extremis Virus. It's powered by an Arc Reactor that Tony will give you later today. Better get started. I'll have the others come up in a while, and I will return soon."

A few minutes later all of our friends are milling around the room as Steve and Thor bring in the machine Bruce was talking about. Geoffrey and Gryphon talk quietly to each other, most likely gossiping about our new secretary that Darren and Vanessa brought in a while ago, Tonya Helens.

"Alright, now, your hair, please," Bruce reminds us.

Elise pulls out some short, dark brown strands of hair and I do the same for my long and wavy hair of an auburn color. Bruce places each sample into its own plastic bag. All of us gave him a sample: myself, Elise, Darren, Jared, Hunter, Dick, Vanessa, Geoffrey, Gryphon, and Bruce himself. Tonya sits on a chair near one of the tables, watching us intently.

"I'll be over in the other half of the room, synthesizing your DNA. That way each sample will be able to be separated more easily, and I can modify the special powers you would receive," Bruce tells me. "Now, I'd like you take your file and make something Tony's been familiar with for a long time: the Extremis Virus."

Time to get to work.

"The rest of you can go hang out in the lounge area," I tell them.

I start working on the Extremis Virus while Bruce creates the special DNA. After about an hour, Bruce leaves the room.

"I put the samples you need in the cabinet over here. I'll be back in a while," he tells us.

"Alright, Bruce," I reply. "See you later."

Bruce opens the elevator door and Tony walks in. "Hold the door, Banner. I'm just dropping something off." Tony sets something on the table. "The Arc Reactor." He turns to the elevator and joins Bruce.

I return to developing the Extremis. Another hour or two later, I hear Elise talk.

"Dmitri, where did Bruce put our cans of synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid?" Elise asks me.

"I think, I think they're over there." I point to a cabinet across the room.

She finds the small containers. "Yep, they're here!"

We set up the Gammachine, as Elise calls it. Elise enters the startup combination and the testing formulas.

"Don't forget to check the e equals m squee, er, c squared equation," I tell Elise sarcastically.

"We don't even use that for this, Dmitri. I need the Arc Reactor Tony gave to us," she responds, mildly cross. She must not be in a good mood today.

"I've got it." I hand the Arc Reactor to her.

"You didn't steal this one from Tony, did you?"

"Nope, it's the one that Tony gave us to use to test this thing."

Bruce walks in. "How far have you gotten? I see you two are the only ones actually working."

I hold up the Reactor. "We only need to plug this in. We found your little cans of synthetic DNA that you made. Geoffrey is supposed to be the one putting them in. Geoff! Get over here!"

Geoffrey looks around the cabinet at us. "Coming," he replies.

"And bring everyone with. I want them to see our awesomeness of an experiment," I say.

He gestures for the others to come over. They follow him.

Elise turns to him. "Geoffrey, put the synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid into wherever it needs to go."

Richard shows up with the others: Darren, Gryphon, Hunter, Jared, Tonya, and Vanessa. He snickers after Elise is finished speaking. She glares at him.

"Hey, Wimpykid, shut up!" Elise growls.

"Don't be like Dmitri. My last name is Clemencyn," he answers.

"Art thou sure that this experiment will be safe? I believe it is in my best interest to excuse myself from this would-be predicament," Jared asks Elise.

"Of course it's safe. If it had gamma radiation, I would say, by all means, go ahead and go," she answers.

Geoffrey finally finishes his task and rejoins the group. I place the Arc Reactor into place, hearing a click as it is plugged in. I lower it onto its stand mid-machine.

"Great! All we need now is the Extremis Virus I made," I announce. Vanessa hands me my capsule of Extremis and I unload it into the liquid catch. The Arc Reactor turns purple and then red, orange, yellow, and finally green.

"Are you ready?" Elise asks me.

"We're ready to go. Bruce, fire this thing up," I say.

He turns on the machine from his side of it. The Reactor begins to glow brighter, changing back to blue and then the same pattern it did earlier. It continues to do so and I watch differently colored liquids drain into canisters underneath the Arc Reactor.

"May I ask what this does?" Jared asks me.

"Of course. After Bruce made our synthetic DNA, Geoffrey puts it in the filters leading to the canisters on the bottom of the machine. The EXTREMIS Virus and the energy from the Arc Reactor combine to enhance the Virus. It then travels down through to the S-DNA and those combine. We can then study what would happen to us if we were to take the Virus ourselves. We also have the option to add gamma radiation to the machine at any level. We've decided to add that later on," I answer.

He nods. "That is believable."

"Um, Dmitri, something's wrong. It just smells of gone wrong. Come here," Elise calls.

I turn around and examine the machine, but I realize quickly what was wrong.

"This isn't supposed to happen," I say. The Arc Reactor is turning black, and smoke emanates from it.

"Everyone, get out!" Elise shouts, but it is too late. I hear the sound of an explosion and find myself being thrown across the room.

* * *

"Dmitri, wake up."

I blink open my eyes and find myself in the lab; well, what's left of it, anyway. Everyone is still unconscious, everyone except for Bruce, who was the one who spoke to me. He barely has a scratch on him. Everyone else, of course, is covered in blood and Extremis Virus.

Geoffrey and Gryphon are sprawled out on the other side of the room. Hunter and Jared are near them. Vanessa and Darren are a ways to my right. Someone else is awake.

Richard is on his knees with one of his hands raised in front of a small black crater in the center of the room. Small pieces of things are on fire, including the latest formula for the Extremis Virus. His other hand is pointed to a second blast area.

"Bruce, where is Elise?" I ask.

"Infirmary; she took the brunt of the accident. Thor and Clint took her."

He walks over to Darren and the other two near him.

"Dick?" I call.

No answer.

"Richard?"

His eyes flicker up to me, and he lowers his hands. He stands up and looks at himself. His veins are black.

"Richard, what happened?"

"It's a long story. Tell you later. Let me take you to the infirmary. Steve, Tony, and a few more are on their way here to help the others."

He helps me up and to the elevator. We make it to the infirmary. I sit down in the bed and face Richard.

"Alright, Dick, I want to know what happened," I say.

He sighs and looks at the door. "Are you sure? You're in bad shape, Dmitri. Can't this wait till later?"

"I want- I need to know, and now, Richard."

"Fine, fine." Richard pulls up a chair and sits down. "You remember when I told you that I was transferring schools back before our senior year?"

"Yeah."

"I actually took a job as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. They helped finish my education elsewhere, and about three years later, I went on a mission in Russia with some other agents. It took a turn for the worst when most of the agents in the group were blown up by, if I will say, cheap Russian knock offs of Stark Industries. And by cheap, I mean effective. The rest ran off, but I had to be the one stuck. A strange man found me and saved my life, but also did some experiments on me, giving me the ability to manipulate physics. He had the power himself, but wanted to see if he could strengthen it. At least, that's what I gathered from his less-than-perfect English. We actually became almost-friends, and he showed me how to use my newfound ability. His name was Viktor Zaslavsky. I won't forget that name for as long as I live. Sadly, Viktor was killed by other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents when they rescued me. They kept me under close watch for a while after that, and I met Director Nick Fury because of my powers. I started working for him and saw the Avengers a few times, but I never talked to them. Fury made me Chief of Medical Research and Head S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison for the United States Marine Corps."

I lie down, fatigue creeping up on me. "I think that's the most talking you've done since you arrived."

"I have to go, Dmitri. I don't feel right. I haven't used that much of my power since..."

I notice Richard bleeding through his nose, eyes, ears and mouth. His blood is still black.

"Oh god, that doesn't look right," I mutter.

He puts a finger on the corner of his mouth. "Oh, no. This again. I have to go. Now."

Richard runs out of the room. I close my eyes and quickly fall asleep.

* * *

~Clint

"She just never gets a break, does she?" I say to Thor.

"I fear that an outside force is in effect with this situation. Dr. Banner told me that the machine had worked before. Someone is going to have to find out the circumstances of this accident," Thor responds.

"Wait. How do you know that?"

"I'm the god of thunder, remember? Simple things like that don't pass my perception that easily."

"Got it. So what do you think will happen to everyone in the lab accident?"

"I believe they have everyone out of the laboratory. Dr. Banner will be back later to make sure nothing is wrong with Elise. He shall update us on the well-being of the others."

"So what's wrong with Elise anyways?"

"She was blown through the door when the machine exploded and surprisingly looks unharmed. The glass capsules of Extremis Virus exploded and pierced her skin, but I only see a miniscule amount of blood."

"I think he's coming."

Bruce passes by the window and opens the door. "Oh, she's still asleep. I have some good news and bad news as well."

"Good news first, man," I reply immediately.

"Darren, Dmitri, Geoffrey, Gryphon, Hunter, Jared and Vanessa are fine. Hunter and Gryphon are already awake and moving around. Geoffrey was conscious when I saw him. He's talking in complete sentences and is making sense. Vanessa and Darren are still groggy. Dmitri and Jared are still out, but were awake after the blast. They walked to their infirmary rooms."

"And the bad news?" Thor asks.

"Agent Clemencyn needs to work on his, well, ability. He went to an infirmary himself and seems like he won't be waking up anytime soon. Natasha is keeping an eye on him. He's suffering from what seems like radiation poisoning. And Tonya..."

"What about her?" I reply. "She's only been here for a little more than two weeks. She shouldn't have been in the lab in the first place. She's a secretary for cryin' out loud."

"She won't be coming to work anymore."

"Wait, what?" Thor asks, uneasy.

"She's dead. She didn't react well to the Extremis Virus, and she- she blew up. It was just like Tony described it."

"That was sudden," I say.

"Let's not dwell on that. We didn't know her well, but I am sure Vanessa and Darren will be upset about it. How is Elise?"

"She seems alright."

"Just keep her on the antidote. She'll wake up soon," Bruce answers.

"That's weird, though," I tell him. "You can't just get thrown through a door and be fine like that. There's something... different... about her."

"And not us?" Bruce says. He sounds irritated. "We aren't normal at all! You people..." he shouts continuously, and it all begins to run together. I don't understand what he's saying.

"Banner, calm down!" Thor advises.

Bruce smiles. "It works. That's amazing."

I am confused. "What works?"

"Geoffrey and I made the antidote into a medication that would suppress the other guy to the point of only changing when I try to. It is still debatable whether or not that part will work."

He stops smiling and looks at the window. I follow his gaze. Is that? No, it can't be. Or _is_ that a different reflection in the window, and not Bruce?

I change the subject. "Alright, whatever. Should we try to wake up Elise? We literally brought her here immediately after the accident."

"I suppose," Bruce admits. "We'd better find out if she will actually awaken. Thor, go ahead."

Thor places a hand over his eyes and shakes his head slowly. He goes to Elise and talks to her.

"Elise, awaken. I would like to ask you something."

Elise twitches her arm as Thor rests his left hand on it. She turns her head to face him and sighs.

"Loki, quiet, you twit," she taunts.

Thor is immediately taken aback by this. He picks up Elise by her shoulders and proceeds to shake her. "Loki! You leave Elise's mind! How did you even get there!?"

I dash to Thor and try to get between Elise and him. "Thor!" I cry. "She's only dreaming! Put her down!"

Thor calms himself and replaces Elise on the bed. She groans and blinks open her eyes.

"What happened?" she asks.

"There was an explosion. We'll explain more in a while. How do you feel?" Bruce tells her.

"Quite cloudy, but other than that, I am well," she responds. She stands up and faces Thor, who looks ill. Her indifferent facial expression softens. "Are you alright?"

Thor regains his composure. "I'll save it for another time."

"M'kay." Elise smiles.

Bruce walks to the door. "I believe you don't save that for later. Clint, come along. Thor, I'll be checking on the others, if you would like to join me later." He then leaves and I follow him.

"Why did you want us to leave Thor with Elise?" I ask.

"I am one hundred percent sure that Elise has never seen Loki in her life. If she can accurately describe him, we will have a cause for concern. Loki may be the god of mischief, but he has no reason to be interacting with her. How would she even know that name? Thor should straighten this out."

"Dr. Banner, if I may ask, why would Loki even be on Earth?"

"Tony told me a while ago. Justin Hammer is out of jail. He started the Alliance of War Technologies, which apparently has a secret of its own. We believe that Hammer is plotting something and has a group of 'specialized' people. This is all I know."

We arrive at the elevator. "And what if we get someone on the inside?"

"I believe we may be able to do that. We could use Elise or one of her friends. Talk to Tony."

"Will do that, thanks."

I find Tony in the basement, working on his suits.

"Hey, Tony, could I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, feathers. Go ahead," he replies, leaving a shiny new suit on the table and approaching me.

* * *

~Elise

"So what bothers you right now?" I ask Thor.

"Do you know anyone called Loki?"

"In Norse mythology, yes. Loki is the god of mischief, correct? It was my nickname when I was a teenager. I do not recall meeting anyone with that name," I answer.

"Did you dream of this Loki?" he asks, sitting down next to me.

"Possibly. I called him Loki, but I do not know what the real one appears to be."

"That matters not, for Loki can take many forms in your dreams. I shall keep watch for him, and if you meet him, know that he only wants to manipulate you."

"I'll be fine, Thor. I know what manipulation is like. My mother used to manipulate me all of the time."

"I am sorry to hear about that, Elise."

"That was a lie. It was really my father that used to do that occasionally. After he died, it was my adoptive brothers, Theodore and James, that always picked on me. They would always get mad at me whenever I blamed something on them. I would make them do what I wanted them to do if they had done something and I threatened to tell on them. My adoptive mother never found out, but I am sure that the boys' father found out eventually. He was always suspicious about anything that I did."

"I can see why Loki would have chosen you, then."

"I regret everything that I did, and if I had the chance, I would erase it."

"I am sure that they have forgiven you by now."

I glare at Thor and slap his face. "You are such a moronic twerp! You just believe everything anyone says, don't you?"

"Elise, I'm sorry. Everything you said sounded so believable."

I calm back down. "No, I'm sorry. Most of it was indeed true. I shouldn't have done that. That's why my adoptive family always called me Loki. I'm not lying this time. I was only testing you earlier."

"And why should I trust you again?"

"Because I don't usually do that. I have no idea what just happened. May we go before I do that again?"

"And so your eyes return to their normal colour?"

"Let me guess, they're green?"

Thor nods.

"Let's get back to the others."

Thor stands up and holds the door open for me. We then return to our friends on floor 89.

I find it weird how Thor reacted to me talking in my sleep. I smile. He shouldn't worry about a thing. I'm fine, right?


	7. Chapter 6

~Hunter

Clint stands in front, or more or less above, me. We are on the training floor. Clint is explaining what we are going to do.

"You are going to run on the treadmill. I will increase the speed until you can no longer keep up. You will then run for as long as you possibly can," he says.

I find that completely unfair, but I don't complain. I hop on the treadmill and turn it on. Clint grabs the remote and begins to increase the speed.

I've been running for about five minutes. Clint is still increasing the speed.

"How fast am I going?" I ask.

"I can't tell you until you finish. It will ruin your motivation. Keep going."

"Then turn the damn thing up already!"

Bad call. Clint holds down the speed up button and I am almost sent flying. I catch up to the treadmill and then hear JARVIS.

«I am sorry, Mister Barton, but the treadmill does not go above eighty miles an hour. »

I choke on my breath, which makes me trip. I find myself being flung across the room and smash into the wall. I open my eyes and see the main room of the floor.

Clint walks through the door. "What was that?" he demands.

"I think I went through the wall."

"I think you did."

I stand up and brush myself off. "I'm fine, though."

"I can see that."

"Should we tell someone?" I ask.

"About you running eighty miles an hour, or about the hole in the wall?" he replies sarcastically.

I look at my feet and scratch the back of my neck. "Yeah, that."

"Hey, I'm sorry for being a prick, but we should tell them. C'mon, son, I'll let you take a break. Let's get a bite to eat," he apologizes, putting a hand on my shoulder.

We take the elevator to the 89th floor. Richard, Jared, Elise, Dmitri, Bruce and Thor are there. Jared is the first one to see me.

"Oh dear! Hunter, what were thou doing that made you so- so- bedraggled?" he asks.

"You actually said 'you' to me instead of 'thou.' Are you the one that's debatable on if they're okay or not?" I answer.

Jared smiles. "Oh, no. The others were simply teaching me 'modern English.' It's quite easy, really. I do believe that I am getting better at it. So, I'm serious now. What happened to you?"

"I- I went through a wall," I admit. Yeah, it's more embarrassing than I thought it would be.

Everyone stares. Clint steps in front of me. "He's fine, though. There was more damage done to the wall than to him."

Dr. Banner chuckles. "I'll have Tony add that to the list of things that need to be fixed. Now, I think the Extremis Virus has worked, Dmitri- on Hunter, anyway. Would you and Elise take a blood sample of Hunter and see what has happened to him?"

Dr. Banner, your presence is required in the War Room. Please go there immediately. JARVIS requests.

"Uh-oh. I'd better see who needs me and for what reason."

Bruce leaves. I look at Dmitri and Elise.

"When do we start?" Elise asks me.

"Now, I guess," I reply.

Dmitri walks to an available elevator. "We should go to our lab, then. Let's go, Hunter, Elise."

I follow them into the elevator and to floor ninety. Dmitri quickly finds a syringe, and Elise walks me over to the table.

"Now, just sit down in the chair and put an arm on the table," she directs me. "Dmitri will make it quick."

I put my right arm on the steel table. Dmitri walks up with the syringe, and they get ready to draw blood.

"If you're going to have a fit about this, Hunter, close your eyes," Dmitri advises.

I listen to her.

"We're done. You can go frolic on back to your buddy bird. Here's a crayon bandage to help you," Dmitri says after a few moments.

I open my eyes. There's a purple crayon bandage on my arm and Dmitri with a syringe that has blood in it.

"It's weird that going through a wall didn't hurt you, but I could still draw blood," she remarks. "It seems a little thinner than it should, though."

* * *

~Dmitri

Elise and I are in the lab, well, the lab on floor 90. We are testing Hunter's blood to find the Extremis Virus's effect on him. We know the cause and the effect of it, but we all want to know what happened between the two.

I am listening to music and get up to go grab a snack. Elise runs down the hallway to catch up with me.

"Um, Dmitri, your, ah, oh, nevermind," she says.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

I shake my head. We arrive at the elevator and go down a floor to see our friends. A few of them are there; this includes Hunter, Clint, Jared, Thor, Bruce and Richard.

I greet them and grab a container of blackberries. I then sit down near Richard, and Elise sits next to me. I pull out my music player and change the song. Elise joins the guys' conversation and steals a blackberry from me every once in a while. I pull out one of the ear buds to listen to them.

"I had Darren drop off Gryphon's and Geoffrey's blood samples in your laboratory. It seems as if the Extremis Virus has affected them as well. I believe that the Virus will change all of you in some way, shape or form," Bruce tells Elise.

"So what happened to Geoffrey and Gryphon?" Elise asks.

"Geoffrey has gained the ability to manipulate water and some other liquids. And Gryphon, well, he can fly now. He also can create wind and move elements and compounds that are in the form of gas. All we need now is someone to manipulate steel, earth, fire and living things. We'll have a little Feng Shui going on."

"That's awesome!" Hunter exclaims. "I'm jealous of what I got now."

"Oh, shut up, Little Bird," I interrupt.

"That was rude, Dmitri," Thor tells me.

"It's Dmitri," Jared explains. "It's in her nature."

"Thanks, Captain Crumpet."

Jared looks at his feet and shakes his head slowly. I stand up and throw away the empty container of blackberries. I walk by my friends to see them staring at me in utter confusion.

"What? Did I kill someone?"

Elise walks up to and past me. She then appears on my other side with my music player in her hand. "Your music player was floating around behind you."

"Whoa," I say quietly. "Put your palm up."

She listens, and I imagine picking up the little piece of technology, moving my arm in sync with my imagination. Sure enough, it hovers up a few inches. I reach my arm out a little and it floats over and lands on my hand. I put it away, back in my pocket.

«Miss Markov, Mister Stark would like to see you in the basement. » JARVIS sounds.

"Alright, Jarv, will do."

Elise raises an eyebrow. "JARVIS didn't say anything."

I sigh. JARVIS must just be an earworm in my brain. I decide to test it.

"JARVIS, did you say Tony wanted to see me?"

«Yes, Miss Markov. However, Tony is on his way up. »

"JARVIS isn't working right now. Tony must have him in the suit," Elise notes.

Just as she said that, two armored suits land on the walkway outside. I walk out to them. The helmet flips open on the red one and Tony grins from inside.

"Happy Hanukkah, Dmitri," he says. "I'll show you how it works. And by the way, JARVIS told me that he was just talking to you. Isn't that weird?"

"Only a little," I reply.

"Well, what are you waiting for? You've got to test this puppy out. I haven't painted it yet, obviously, but I'm going to let you do that too."

"You realize that I don't celebrate Hanukkah, right?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"I figured that, but since your family did, oh, whatever. Don't ruin my jokes like that."

The other suit opens up and I take out my MP3 player, but Tony interrupts me. "Just leave it in your pocket. There's room for pocket items."

"Okay, okay. How do I get in this thing?"

"Just step into it."

I walk into the suit from the back and place my feet in where they're supposed to go. The suit then does the rest, closing in around me.

"Holy sh-!"

Tony cuts me off. "Yeah, I did the same thing when that happened the first time. For your first lesson, I'm going to have you fly down to the ground and land. We can paint it and give your Mark One a name."

I frown. "Great. So how can I hear you?"

"It's like a radio between us. JARVIS also works in both of our suits."

"How does this work?"

"Just mess around. Rhodey got it quickly. You should be fine."

I move around and test out the suit. I get the thrusters to work and fly up a few feet. Tony joins me.

"Great job. You use your hands to steer. Just don't-"

I move my thumb, sending a repulsor blast out. I am sent back a few feet.

Tony flies over. "Dmitri! Listen to me. Don't stop flying. Try lowering yourself to the ground."

About two or three minutes later, we manage to get to the ground. Tony leads me to the basement, which is his special armor suit lab. I get out out the suit.

Tony steps out of his suit and walks away. "Alright, we'll bring it over here. Pick out your color scheme."

"Could it be royal blue and gold?"

"Why did you pick those?" he asks.

"Royal blue is my favorite color. Gold makes a good accent."

"Alright. JARVIS, order the paint we need."

It shall arrive in five minutes, sir.

"Great, now you need a name. I'm Iron Man, and all of my suits have their names. You need yours. I had called Fury. He called your suit Proxy. It's like a substitute."

I think for a moment. I smile as it comes to mind.

"Proxy."

"For your suit or yourself? And didn't I just say that?"

"Both. My first suit should have the same name as me."

"Why Proxy? Isn't there anything better?"

I frown. "I chose it. Is it not good enough for you?"

He smiles. "Actually, Fury chose it, but if you like it so much, I guess we can keep it. Once we paint your suit, I'll show you the ropes. Sound good?"

"Yes, it does. How many suits do you have so far?"

He suddenly has a bottle of scotch in his hand. "I'm not allowed to mention that. Miss Potts might hear it."

"Give me some of that."

He hands me a glass of scotch. "Here you go. Now, let's get that paint before Pepper finds out there's another suit."

* * *

~Vanessa

I'm as angry as I have ever been. Dmitri and Hunter have powers, yet I don't. It's so unfair. I walk over to Justine Hammer and Loki.

"What's the situation?" I grumble.

"Everyone who had their synthetic DNA made lived through the lab blast. Loki did an amazing job with the sabotage of the machine. We do, however, have to take a loss every so often. Tonya will be missed, but we have to get over it. It's been a week. I believe they already found a replacement for her. For now, Loki would like to know a few things," Justine points out.

"What is this girl, Elise Iridium, like?" he asks.

"You could have just asked for a background check on all of my friends at the same time."

"This is the last one. Afterwards, I shan't ask again."

"Fine. You're going to love this one. I was wondering when you'd ask."

He smiles, sending shivers down my spine. "I already did my research on her. I want _your_ opinion."

I hesitate. "She's fairly reserved and has had a facade going most of her life. People tended to not think much of her and loathed how closed up she was. Many people don't know her true personality, as she was often shunned when it came through. She, I believe, is terrified of herself. Elise was once the best con artist that I knew, and I am sure she still has that in her. She once told me that it is easier for her to lie than to tell the truth. That's all I'm going to say," I tell him. "Are you going to do something in the future with this information?"

"I'm not going to. I already am."

I mumble to myself. I then feel something hot on my hands. Small flames are growing from my palms. I smile upon seeing them. I laugh a little when I see the flames become larger. I've discovered my superpower: pyrokinesis.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Vanessa. You should go talk to Leon. He'll help you develop that new skill of yours," Justine tells me. I guess she saw what I just did.

She stands up. "Follow me. Leon will probably be with his twin sister, Alea. I'll introduce you to them."

Loki stands up and follows us. "I may be able to help as well. Allow me to accompany you."

Justine pulls out her cellphone. A few moments later, she puts it away. "He's in the cafeteria."

We walk over to the cafeteria and find a man who has white hair with black streaks. He looks up at us. "Hey, Justine, Loki, who's the newbie?"

"Leon, this is Vanessa. She needs some training in the field of firepower," Justine introduces me to him.

He laughs. "I guess that means that I have some work to do. Laufeyson, you coming with?"

Loki nods.

He stands up. "Great, let's get to the training room. Follow me, you two."

We walk down the hall. "Check out my suit yet? I know it's just white pants and shirt, both with black details, but it _is_ fireproof. If you're going to be using pyro-powers, you'll need one."

We soon arrive at the training room. It looks like a gymnasium with stone or maybe steel walls and floor.

"Alright, so in order to generate usable flames, you have to mentally raise the temperature of where you want the flames, but you have to be careful. Playing with fire can leave you burned. I knew someone that overused their power and, well, let's just say that it didn't end well. I haven't seen her since."

I do what he says. Sure enough, flames form on my hands.

"Got it," I say.

"Great, now what I want you to do is shoot a fireball at Loki. Don't worry, he'll deflect it. How you do that is by cutting off your heat flow and snapping your hands forward. Loki will send an energy blast back. I want you to absorb it. You do that by decreasing the temperature where you want to catch it. Your hands will be the easiest. Try it now."

I send flames shooting at Loki. After the smokes clears, I see Loki holding a scepter in his hand. The light in the middle of the scepter spearhead blazes red for a few moments before turning green. He smiles and returns a blast of green fire at me. I manage to absorb it.

Leon smiles. "That was awesome. A first-time pyro can't usually do that. Before we do anything else, we need to get you a suit. How about a fun name to go with it? Mine's Yang. My sister's is obviously Yin."

"I'll think of something."

"Okay. Meet me in the lobby in ten minutes. I have to talk to my sister for a bit," Leon tells me.

He walks away before I can answer. I sigh and go in the other direction.

After a few minutes of wandering around, I hear someone talking in a hushed voice.

I sneak towards the voice and realize that it's two voices, and one of them is Loki's.

I peek around the corner.

Loki is down on one knee and staring at the floor. A puddle of blood is at his foot. He is propping himself up with his scepter.

Another man is standing above him. He's wearing what looks like a Chinese outfit. He has ten rings on his hands and fingernails that look like claws. He also has long, dark hair, similar but not like Loki's.

"Get up, Loki," the other man commands.

Loki spits blood onto the floor.

The man grabs Loki by his throat and lifts him up. "I will not be tormented by a subordinate, of which you are. I am nothing like those petty impersonators. You have yet to witness true power." He lets go of Loki, but grabs his scepter and places his other hand on Loki's chest, poking him with the claw-like fingernails. "You will now listen to me."

A variety of the man's rings glow. Loki's eyes widen and turn a turquoise-blue color. The green light in his scepter does the same. Loki wraps his hands around the man's wrist and tries to get away.

The rings stop glowing, and Loki falls to the floor alongside his scepter. I turn around and go back the way I came.

I'm going to pretend I never saw that.

* * *

~Darren

"Dmitri? Elise? Are you two in here? I brought you more blood samples," I call out as I enter their new lab.

Nobody answers.

"I suppose that I'll just set these down somewhere."

I walk over to a rack for the samples, but I trip on a wrench Dmitri must have left lying around. I hear the breaking of glass.

"Oh no! I'm such a klutz! How am I going to clean this up?"

I dash around the room in search of something to solve my problem, but I don't find anything. Elise and Dmitri must keep a lot of things hidden.

I crouch down in front of the blood samples, now mixing together. I reach my hands down near the puddle but stop. That would just get my hands dirty. What a stupid idea. How am I going to clean this mess up? I could go grab a rag, or maybe I should just tell them. The puddle then separates into two and float up. I realize that I'm the one causing this. I try to recreate it, but the two puddles fall to the ground. I must be trying too hard. I concentrate again on cleaning up the samples, and they then do what I want them to do. I quickly put them into beakers on the counter and make a break for the AWT headquarters, where Vanessa is.

I walk in and show the guard my ID card in order to leave the lobby and go further into the building. I continue down the blank hallways. It's amazing how no one gets lost in here.

A man in what appears to be an oriental robe steps in front of me. He reaches a hand out. "I do not believe we've met before."

I shake his hand. "Darren VanDauche. And you are?"

He smiles. "The Mandarin. I hear that you have something special to show me?"

"How did you know?"

"I heard that your 'friend' had something new. I suppose that you do too. I'd like you to show it to me. Where do you need to go?"

"Isn't there a garden around here?" I ask.

The Mandarin guides me to an oriental garden. A girl that has black hair with white streak is meditating on a rock. Strangely, it isn't Justine Hammer. The girl has streams of water floating around her.

"That is Yin. Don't mind her. Just do what you need to do," Mandarin murmurs.

I wonder if it works on plants. I face a small flower and hold an arm out. I turn my hand so that my palm face me. The front of the flower copies it, facing me.

"Hmm. I think I know what we're looking at," the Mandarin tells me. "The manipulation of organic matter. We're having a meeting in a few minutes. Feel free to join us in the meeting room."

The Mandarin walks away. I feel something around my ankles. Vines wrap themselves around me. They grab my wrists.

"Ah!"

The woman named Yin approaches me. "I heard the Mandarin talking to you. If you can truly manipulate both fauna and flora, move the vines and then me."

I easily move the vines away from me and then turn to Yin. I focus on her.

"I can definitely feel your power, but you are not strong enough to manipulate humans. My name is Alea. My brother has been showing your girlfriend how to use pyrokinesis. Come with me. We have a meeting to attend."

We arrive at the meeting room. I sit next to Vanessa, and Alea sits next to her brother. A woman with purple eyes and white hair is sitting near them. Odd hair color must be in style. The Mandarin is standing next to Justin Hammer and another man, he calls himself Talbot the second. Loki is sitting by himself, twiddling his thumbs.

Gennady takes a seat next to me. "Hi, Darren. Anything new?"

"I'll tell you in a little bit, Gennady," I answer.

Justin Hammer turns around. "Is everyone here? Looks like it."

Everyone stops talking as Talbot begins speaking. "I hope that you have all met the newest member of the Alliance of War Technologies: Chamelea. Justin Hammer will continue."

Justin steps in front of Talbot II. "Thank you, Nathan. The Avengers happen to be tracking us, but the Mandarin has come up with an idea that will distract them and allow us to obtain a weapon of mass destruction that S.H.I.E.L.D. has kept from us. Mandarin, if you will explain."

The Mandarin walks to the front of the table. "As Justin Hammer had said, the Avengers are tracking us, as is S.H.I.E.L.D. Now, I want you all to pack a suitcase. We will be going to Los Angeles, California, except for you, Loki. You will be staying here. Chamelea will be disguised as you in order to make sure they don't know you've stayed behind. I will inform you of what you will be doing alone, so if one of us is caught, they will not give you away. Darren, Vanessa, you two will make sure that the Avengers fall for the distraction and leave for California. You join us upon your arrival, but you must act as if you have been taken hostage. I will have more information for you on the way there."

* * *

~Dmitri

I am in the lab with Elise and Bruce working on the blood samples Darren brought up about a half hour ago. He ran off immediately after he finished his task and shouted about going somewhere. He hasn't returned yet, but neither has Vanessa. They both apparently don't like it here.

We've discovered that the Extremis Virus would not have worked if we didn't combine it with the energy from the Arc Reactor. The synthetic DNA made it so the Virus wouldn't kill us. The Virus not only granted most of us physical prowess, but our mental states also multiplied. The actual increase depended on the person itself. Hunter seems to be the only one without a noticeable difference in his brain activity. Jared and Elise, however, haven't received any special abilities yet. The rest of us have obtained an ability that involves the mind.

«Misses Iridium and Markov, Doctor Banner, Tony has called a meeting in the War Room, floor 84. Please attend immediately. » JARVIS announces suddenly.

We stop working and look at each other. "I wonder what Tony wants," I say.

We walk to the elevator and go down to floor 84. Everyone is there waiting for us. Tony stands in front of the window is leaning over the glass and steel table. He motions for us to join them at the table. Thor stops Elise and says something to her. She, Thor, and Jared then leave.

"I know that it's almost two in the morning, and I had to wake some of you up, so I'll make this snappy. We've received notice that Justin Hammer and his group, the AWT, are near Los Angeles. We need to go track them down. Since you five- Dmitri, Hunter, Darren, Vanessa, and Geoffrey- have all acquired powers, we need you to tag along. Gryphon, you have to work, so you don't have to come with right now. Some of us will return every so often to check on Thor, Jared and Elise to make sure they stay well," he pauses, "and finally, just as a side note, when all this is over, we can all go our separate ways. You can choose if you want to keep your little tagalong or send them off."

"Is that it?" Clint asks.

"Yep," Tony replies. "I can explain the rest later."

I head back to the lab, but Elise isn't there. She must have gone to bed. I clean up and head back to the elevator. Hunter is leaning against the wall of the elevator and scratching his chin.

"Man, I really gotta shave tomorrow," he mumbles. "My face is all scruffy- oh! Hi, Dmitri. Where are you going?"

I step into the elevator and press the button for the floor I want to go to. "My room. Where did you come from?"

"The rooftop. Clint and I were getting some fresh air while Gryphon was testing out his powers. It was pretty cool."

"Gryphon... Why wasn't Geoffrey there too? They're almost inseparable."

"He went to bed. I heard you got a suit and a name. Proxy sounds cool. Maybe you, Gryphon and Tony should fly out for us and grab supper tomorrow."

"Hunter, shut up."

The elevator door opens.

"See you tomorrow, Dmitri," Hunter calls. "Maybe I'll get a superhero name one day."

"Maybe."


	8. Chapter 7

~Elise

«Miss Iridium, your presence is requested on floor eighty-four. » Jarvis tells me.

"Thanks, JARVIS."

I hop out of bed and walk to the closet to find something to wear, but a small breeze catches my attention. My window is open, and I hadn't touched it last night.

"JARVIS?"

«Yes? »

"Was anyone in my room last night?"

«My records show that the only person in your bedroom was you. Anything else? »

"No, but thanks anyway."

«Any time, Miss Iridium. »

I sigh and stretch for a few moments before closing the window. Whoever needs me in the War Room must want me there now.

I skip getting ready and go join whoever had wanted me on floor 84. Bruce, Tony, Thor and Steve are there.

"Do your windows spontaneously open at night, Tony?" I ask.

"No, why?" he replies.

"Because my window was open this morning and nobody was there to open it."

"I see. Let me know if it happens again. I'll have a solution for it."

"Alright, thank you."

At that moment Jared walks in. "Good morrow everyone. How is it today?"

"Great, everyone we need. Have a seat." Tony gestures to the chairs. After we sit down, Tony continues. "All of us will be leaving for a mission in Los Angeles to track down Hammer and his little group of friends, the AWT. Except for you two, Jared and Elise, you will be staying here with Thor."

"Wait, wait wait wait wait wait," I chatter. "You're leaving me alone in a giant building with two English-advanced British guys?"

"Number one," Tony retorts, "the only British one is your buddy Jared. Number two, Thor is a _Norse_ god. Number three, you and Jared haven't acquired your powers yet. Good day to you, ma'am." Tony walks to the elevator and leans against the inside of it.

Bruce makes a quick comment before following Tony. "We'll be back soon," he promises.

Steve talks to us a bit more than Bruce did. "You three are staying to make sure no one breaks in. Some of us will return every once in a while to check in on you. If we have anything else to add, we will call you." He joins the other two and the elevator door closes.

I sigh. "Spontaneity is the theme of the day, isn't it? I should go get ready for the day, I suppose."

We go to the elevator a bit later and step out on floor 89.

Jared goes over to the refrigerator. "Dost thou request anything specific for breakfast?"

"No, I'll be fine with anything you want."

"I have already eaten, young Knightson," Thor says to Jared.

I take the two steps back to the elevator and go back to floor seventy-five. I had picked this floor for my room because there was a small lobby before it branches off into three hallways. The first leads back to the elevator and the other two go to about three guestrooms each. My room was in the middle hall; the first on the left. Most of the guestroom floors do have the mini-lobbies, but this floor is the closest to the labs, the lounge and the War Room.

I open the door to my room and walk to my closet. I find a red shirt and black pants to wear and then take them with to the shower. I comb comb my hair backwards after washing my face, so it stays out of my eyes whilst I let it air-dry. I dry myself off and put my clothes on. I then brush my teeth and then go rejoin Thor and Jared on floor 89.

Jared greets me with a smile as the elevator door opens, and I step out. "Hello there, Elise. How do you feel as of now?"

"I'm well, Jared. Thanks for asking."

Thor is standing outside on one of the walkways outside. He stares up at the sky and appears to be talking.

"What is Thor doing?" I ask.

"He seems to be attempting to communicate with his father, Odin. He must be seeking information about a situation of which I am unaware of."

I suddenly get a splitting headache. Everything goes numb, my vision clouds, and I can't stand for long. I stumble over to the couches and flop down onto the one on the right. Jared has been known to never notice my little "episodes" until I'm at my breaking point. So, of course, he doesn't see me fall, face first, into the couch.

I didn't actually fall face first, but it felt like it. It grit my teeth and put my hands over my ears.

"You stay away from her," I hear Thor say. There's another voice, but I can't put a name on it or hear any actual words.

Thor's voice drifts. "You know... The prophecy... Told me about your plan..."

I roll so that I am staring into the ceiling. I see a spoon floating around about five feet above me.

"Um, Jared, what's going on? There's a flying spoon right above me."

"Oh, you noticed?" Jared responds. The spoon then splits into two and flattens. It merges into one again but still retains its flat disc shape. "I figured out how to do that around two days before Hunter's bout of flying through a wall. I never told anyone because I didn't want somebody to be envious."

"And yet you didn't reveal it after Hunter discovered his power?"

"I suppose that I probably should have. I would have, would I not have heard Thor and Tony converse about going to Los Angeles. I knew that you would have stayed here, most likely alone, while we were away. Thor may have still been here, as the others were needed there. Thor has no business there as well."

I listen as Jared jumps from sentence to sentence, not keeping the same tone of voice as he does so. I sit up and look at Thor. He reaches his hand up into the air and a small bolt of lightning creates a circle of light in the clouds. Something falls from the lightning, and Thor catches it: a hammer. He then comes inside.

"What was that?" I ask.

"I did not bring Mjolnir with to Midgard, so I had Heimdall send it to me," Thor replies.

"The mighty Mjolnir," Jared murmurs. "I have only heard stories. To have it in my presence is most honorable. You hast fought many a battle it."

"I thought you were British, Jared. And where did your bout of archaic language come from? You were off of archaic English a few days ago," I say to him.

"I apologise. I am in such a state of jubilance that I forgot my manners of casual conversation."

"It's fine, Jared. Just don't blow an artery."

"I made you hot cereal, oatmeal, if you want it."

"Blueberries?"

"Yes."

"Hand me that meal of oat, Sir Jared Knightson," I laugh.

"Meal of oat?" Thor sounds confused. "I thought that horses ate such a thing."

"Did you feed it to baby Sleipnir?" I say sarcastically. Jared hands me the oatmeal before Thor can answer. "Thanks, Captain Crumpet."

He rolls his eyes. "Here we go again. Did Dmitri tell you to say that?"

I pause. "Yep."

Jared laughs in response. He then turns on the television and sits down on the other couch. Thor joins him. I eat the oatmeal and place the empty dish in the sink.

"Is Pepper still here?" I inquire.

Thor answers. "Most likely. She just left a meeting about a half hour ago and will return soon. Wait patiently."

"M'kay." I sit back down on the couch. "What's on the telly?"

"There's a documentary about gamma radiation and its effects on human DNA. There's a bit more, but I don't remember much. Want to watch it?" Jared explains.

"Sure."

Jared changes the channel to the documentary. I watch it for a while before Pepper walks in.

"Do any of you need something? I'm going to the store for Tony. I should be back in about an hour or two," she begins.

"I do not require anything, but Thor may need more toaster pastries," Jared tells her.

"Ok, Elise, did you want something?"

I stand up and walk to her. "Could I get an office?"

She gestures for me to follow her. We step into the elevator. "Yes, but isn't the desk in your room good enough?"

"I want somewhere I can be alone, and nobody will find me there. They would have to have JARVIS call me. I want it close to my room, but not the same floor."

She puts her finger to her lip. "I know what you need." She presses a button on the elevator: 76.

I lean against the side of the elevator as it goes down. It's moving faster than usual. The elevator dings before I realise.

"Last one on the left," she says. "Here's something for you." She opens a locked cabinet in the back of the elevator and hands me a golden key. "Will you be okay on your own?"

"Yep," I reply and walk away. I stop at the door that Pepper had told me to go to. The door is the same colour as all the other ones have been. I put in the key and turn it. I open the door slowly.

The room is empty apart from a pile of boxes on a dusty desk and another directly in front of me. There is a black office chair next to the desk. Looks like I've got some work to do while the others are in Los Angeles. I should probably start now.

« Miss Iridium, you are being called to the main lobby. Someone named Nathan Mondeson would like to speak with you. » JARVIS reports.

"This will have to wait for another day, I suppose," I mumble.

I go to the elevator and press the button for the ground floor. It's a long way down, so I talk to JARVIS.

"JARVIS, give me some information about this Nathan guy, please."

« Nathan Mondeson is an engineer who happens to be a distant relative of Glenn Talbot. In fact, Nathan uses Talbot II as a pseudonym. He, along with a man named Justin Hammer and a few others, formed the Alliance of War Technologies, also known as the AWT. This was created because they "wanted to help advance weapon and other various forms of technology." Nathan is often considered to be second-in-command to Justin. It has been rumoured that the AWT is creating an army of "specially designed" people and building suits for them as well as drones similar to Master Stark's Iron Man suits. Other members of the AWT include their scientist, Doctor Schöpfer, and Loki, Thor's brother. Would you like me to continue? »

"No, JARVIS, but thanks. I've only two more floors to go."

«Very well. »

The elevator door opens and I walk up to the front desk. I ask the secretary for Nathan Mondeson, and she directs me to a man that is not very tall and blonde.

"Are you Mr. Nathan Mondeson?" I ask.

He shakes my hand. "Yes, I am."

I smile in a businesslike fashion. "If you'll come with me, I can take you to a meeting room a floor above us." I walk with him to the elevator. It opens before I even hit the button. Pepper is inside.

"Oh, good, you got JARVIS's call. I was hoping you would,"

"May I use one of the meeting rooms the next floor up?"

"Yes. Would you like me to join you?"

"I should be fine. I'll call should I need you."

Pepper smiles and nods before exiting the elevator. We step in, and I press the button for the floor above us. A moment later, I lead him into the first meeting room on the right. The lights turn on automatically, and I close the door behind us.

"So what brings you here, Mr. Mondeson?" I inquire.

"I was sent here as requested by Mr. Laufeyson. He wanted me to gather together information on you."

"Why?"

He sits down in a chair. "I am not sure, but as my co-worker Mr. Hammer had gained two new employees-in-training through the same method, Mr. Laufeyson has decided to recruit his own partner. You may have heard that the AWT is obtaining people with superhuman abilities. Mr. Laufeyson has chosen you."

"Are any of my friends in this?"

"Yes. I am not at liberty to discuss which ones, however."

"But I don't have any special abilities."

"Mr. Laufeyson is sure that you do and is willing to help you find them. He has abilities of his own and believes that yours may be similar."

"Is there anything that I should know about, like a strings-attached sort of thing?"

"Nothing that is harmful or that I have been told. Mr. Laufeyson is a man that doesn't break his promises. He promised me that you would ask that question, so he let me know about the answer. So, are you in?"

I pause. I would like to find my power, since everyone else has. Getting out of this building every so often should reduce my boredom as well. "I'm in," I reply.

* * *

I am on floor 90 testing myself for any changes. Jared enters the lab.

"What brings you here, Chevalier?" I greet him.

"I'd rather you call me a cavalier or knight," he calls back in a bright tone of voice.

"But it's one of those words that sounds weird on my tongue no matter what accent I use."

"For a woman with two accents, people tend to not notice the difference. You almost always use your original one when I or Thor are around. You then tend to switch to the American accent when trying to explain a long story to someone."

"I use the American accent for the people that may not understand my real one."

"Alrighty then. What have you been up to? Beings as the sun has gone down an hour ago."

"I'm attempting to find my superpower. You all have one, so why can't I?"

"It will come in time. You need to go get some rest. Thor is taking us home to get all of our things. We're moving out of there."

"Why?" I try to keep my voice stable. Emotions are building up again. Don't let them out. Don't let them out.

"Because we've officially been made into a team. S.H.I.E.L.D. called earlier today."

Anger. Burning anger. "Screw S.H.I.E.L.D.! I don't have anything they want!"

"Reduce the madness, Elise," he says. "Your eyes are green again."

"So that's my power! You get to turn spoons into putty with your mind, and my eyes turn green when I'm upset!" I storm out of the lab and towards the elevator.

"Elise, wait!"

I step inside the elevator and press the button for floor 75. I hear a shattering of glass as the door closes. Jared must have been frustrated with me and punched the glass.

I open the door to my room and slam it shut after I enter. I leave the light off and go to the window. I slide it up and look outside. The rainfall soothes my headache.

"I want somebody to liberate me from this place. I sometimes think that I would be a better villain than who I am now with the Avengers. I don't believe in the better society where people can rule themselves with peace. Humans aren't built for kindness. They may believe they are, but that is only because they have bullied themselves into the submission of such volatile feelings. I loathe society," I whisper into the night. I close the window and lie down in bed. Did I mean what I said? Surely that was only an act of anger. It's about an hour before I drift into a light sleep.

* * *

I open my eyes. The window is open again and light filters in from outside. The light in the hallway is on and creeps through under the door. I can hear rain falling and cars driving by on the road. The scent of outside pours in.

Something is in my room. I hear it shuffling through my desk. The noise stops and footsteps replace it. It seems to have noticed my awakening.

I see a faint outline of a face hovering above me. A hand raises and comes to a stop just above my left eye. It lowers and a finger touches the top of my cheek. I can't help but react to this, turning my head to the side.

The figure darts away, and I sit up to find it. There it is, perching on the windowsill. It is cloaked in a dark outfit, including what seems to be a cape. It stares back at me, its despicable eyes glowing a faint green. It has long, shoulder-length or so, maybe a little shorter, dark hair.

The figure steps off of the windowsill as I lie back down. It steps over to my desk and opens one of the drawers.

"Hey!" I interrupt it.

The door opens, blinding me for a moment. I catch a glimpse of the colours gold, green and black just before the door closes. I stand up and creep over to the door and open it slowly, but the light in the hall has been shut off. I close the door and lock it, returning to my bed.

I close my eyes and lie still as I wait for sleep again, but for some reason, I can't. Maybe it's because I have no idea what was in my room.

I get up and walk over to my desk after turning on the light. I find the open drawer and search through it. I find a note on top of my laptop.

_Ready for your first lesson?_

I stare at the note for a while.

"What's going on?" I murmur to myself.

I hear noises in the hall. I quickly replace the note, turn off the light, and return to my bed. I close my eyes and pretend to sleep.

A few minutes pass. The door opens slowly. Footsteps go from the door to the desk, then my dresser, and finally my closet. After a minute or two of listening to whatever it is searching through my room, I hear it walk over to me. The footsteps are fairly quiet, but I can still hear them.

I feel a hand on the top of my head. I flinch and grab for it. The hand instantly pulls away, but there are suddenly two on my shoulders.

I open my eyes, startled, and see bright blue eyes staring into mine.

"You..." the stranger growls.

I squirm under the stranger, trying to get away. One of its hands wraps around my neck. I dig my fingernails into its wrist. The hand pulls away and the stranger is suddenly gone. I jump up onto my hands and knees on the bed. The stranger is sitting in the windowsill again.

I try to creep closer to it, but it only smirks and disappears out the window. I find myself jumping off of my bed and leaning out of the window in order to find whomever was in my room. I must have been hallucinating, dreaming, maybe, because I see nothing, and there is no way the thing could have vanished like that.

* * *

~Jared

Thor and I are sitting in the lounge on the couch. He is telling me stories of Asgard. The lights suddenly flicker.

Thor stands up. "Stark told me that the lights are not supposed to do that. You stay here. I'll go see if something is wrong."

He leaves. A few of the lights go out. I hear something behind me. I turn around and see the windows fogging up. The fog somehow gets into the room and envelops me in it. I see a shadow walking towards me.

"Thor? Is that you?" I call.

The shadow laughs. "Jared, I look nothing like my brother. Then again, we aren't actually related."

I take a step back. "Hold on, how dost thou know my name?"

"Your friends must hate your archaic English, don't they?"

"You never answered my-"

I finally see whom I'm talking to. A tall man wearing Asgardian garb is standing in front of me. He is wearing a golden helmet with two curved horns. He takes his helmet off to reveal long and dark hair.

"I see you've taken notice to my hat. I have to admit, it _is_ a little uncomfortable, but it is fashionable where I come from. My name is Loki, by the way, if you don't already know that," he tells me with a smile.

I finally say something. "You're a lot more," I pause, "amiable than I had expected."

Loki puts his helmet back on. He pulls out a knife, which glows brightly. I jump back a little. His clothing becomes more modern, and his helmet disappears. He puts the knife away.

"I suppose that startled you. I apologise. I made the knife myself, but one of my associates decided the green centre would look better turquoise," he says.

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"I was here to see an old friend, but I see they aren't here. Meeting you has been fairly alright, too."

"I'm not sure I understand."

Loki chuckles. "One of your friends has been keeping a secret from you. Eventually, they will be your worst enemy."

"That won't happen."

Loki's mood suddenly changes. His lip curls and his left hand forms a fist. "You know nothing about me nor what I am capable of." He grabs my cardigan and pulls me back to him. "Now you watch yourself, for you may be under the protection of your Avengers and this S.H.I.E.L.D. that always wants to know what I am up to, but I am no doubt considering killing you myself."

He lets go and turns to walk away.

"Wait!"

He stops and looks back at me. "Yes?"

"Who is this person you mentioned?"

Loki laughs. "I cannot tell you," he says as he disappears in the fog.

The fog clears and the lights return to normal. Thor steps off of the elevator. "There was nothing wrong. Now where was I? Oh, yes, the time I received Mjolnir."

I return to listening to Thor's stories in order to clear my mind.


	9. Chapter 8

"We're here," Thor announces, snapping me out of my trance. I look out the window of the car to see the old house I used to live in.

Flashback, I can feel it overtaking my senses. It was the night before we left on our trip, the night before Dmitri and I changed everyone's life forever. It was the last day of March that night.

It's late outside as I was returning home from the store. I had just bought some things that everyone had requested that I get for them. Rain had just begun to fall. A man in dark clothing had stopped me as I strolled along the sidewalk. I had known this man for a while now, he was called Kholi.

"I heard you're leaving for a trip tomorrow, Elise. May I help you carry your things home?" he greeted me.

"Thanks," I handed the backpack to him. We walked down the sidewalk as the rain fell.

"So where are you headed for this trip?" he asked.

"I'm not too sure yet. I'd have to ask Dmitri. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Why not just stay in Pennsylvania? I've heard that there's an abandoned farm site a bit under three hundred kilometers to the northwest of here. I'd be careful, it's rumored that a secret security force has a base there."

"That sounds interesting. I'll check with Dmitri tomorrow about it, or you could should you see her."

"I can do that. After all, we are only a block from your house."

"Indeed we are, Kholi. Care to come inside? I have enough coffee for both of us."

He smiles. "Alright, and maybe I may speak with Dmitri."

We continued to chat until we arrived at my house. Dmitri pulled into the driveway.

"Hey, Elise," she said, "I see you've brought Mister I-Have-A-Really-Weird-Name with you."

"He has a recommendation for you, Dmitri," I replied, taking the backpack from Kholi and going inside.

"Elise, are you alright?" Thor shakes my shoulder a bit, removing me from the flashback.

"Is he here?" I ask.

"Who?" Thor responds.

"Kholi. My friend, Kholi."

"I do not know, Elise. Let's go inside."

I follow Thor and Jared into the now seemingly empty house. The whole first floor looks the same as it was three and a half months ago. Jared turns to Thor.

"Hunter's room is down the hallway. Darren's room is in the basement, as is mine. The girls' rooms are upstairs. We have an extra guestroom that we use for storage as well. We'll start with the basement, Elise. Thor and I will get the boys' rooms and Vanessa's. Elise, you get yours and Dmitri's rooms. Bring the things out to the truck, and we'll return to Stark Tower once we have finished."

I creep up the stairs, unsure of what I will see. Other than a heavy coating of dust, the place looks the same. Dmitri's room is the first room on the right. I open the door.

Dmitri never had many items that she kept in her bedroom. I pack whatever she had left behind in a suitcase and place it in the back of the truck. I then return up the stairs to my bedroom. I slowly turn the doorknob and push open the door.

Light filters in from the window onto my old, now littered with dust, desk. I have even less possessions here than Dmitri does. I toss the remainder of my clothes into the suitcase, a few papers, some other random things, and the statue-fountain that I received from an old friend. It has a wolf, a snake, and a girl on it, and water flows between them. This water then drops into a small trench around the edges of the fountain and returns to where it began.

I carry this with me because I do not want it to break. I tread lightly down the stairs and outside. I place my suitcase next to Dmitri's and the statue in the car that we came in. I go back inside and into my room. I kneel down in front of my bed and pull out a box. I take the box with me into the car and wait for Thor and Jared to return.

"What time is it?" Jared asks as he and Thor join me in the car.

"It's 17:00, or 5 p.m. Are we ready to go?" I respond.

"Yep. Let's go back to Stark Tower."

We sit in silence for a while before Thor speaks up.

"What an odd statue. Where did you get it?"

"I received it as a gift from my friend Kholi."

Thor turns his head away. Jared continues the conversation.

"I haven't seen that box before, what's inside?"

"It came with the gift. It's a dress that I have not yet worn. I wish to try it on sometime in the future. How far are we from New York City?"

"Depending upon the traffic, I'd say around two hours," Jared tells me. "Take a nap, Elise. You need as much sleep as you can get."

I place the box and statue where they will be safe and close my eyes. After a while I hear Thor talking to Jared.

"Who is this Kholi Elise speaks of?" Thor inquires.

"A man that once lived nearby. He was apparently trying to start a new life. He said that where he came from wasn't too hospitable to him."

"What did he look like?"

"Fairly tall, a little over six feet, he also had dark hair that he kept tied up in his hat."

Thor doesn't reply. I hear him shuffle in his seat as the car drives. After a long hesitation, Thor finally responds.

"That man is a fake."

"Someone's been lying to Elise for a year?"

"And I know who it is."

"Who is it, then?"

"I can't tell you just yet. I need to do more research first. It would help if I could see the dress."

"Very well. I won't bother you about it."

I drift off into pre-sleep. This is the time when thoughts run through my head. How would Thor know that Kholi wasn't really who he said he was? Who is he, then? What would he want with me? It's obvious that Thor knows something that I don't.

I feel myself being pulled under the blanket. I'm falling asleep. I take a deep breath and let sleep take me.

I wake to the sound of a car horn. I sit up quickly to see Jared napping and Thor sitting quietly with his hands folded. He looks up at me upon hearing me stir.

"We've still about fifteen minutes before we return to Stark Tower. Take your time to adjust to your surroundings. Did you dream about Loki again?"

I stare at the floor. "It was Kholi. He told me that his name wasn't Kholi, but something else. Then he vanished." I know that this was a lie, but I say it anyway in order to get some information from Thor.

"Then it must be true. That is Loki. Loki can use many forms of magic, so him visiting you in your dreams doesn't surprise me. It is only an advanced type of telepathy."

"Would you think, because of the lab accident, that I might, just maybe, have developed some form of psychic abilities myself? I mean, I've never been one to say that I have psychic powers or anything, but I have always felt that way. I believe that, in some way, the Extremis Virus has enhanced it."

"It is possible; however, you may never find out unless you test it out."

"How do I test it out?"

"I'll help you eventually, but you must be patient."

"M'kay, I suppose that I should work on some other things beforehand."

Thor nods. "May I ask you what this Kholi was like?"

"Physically, he was a bit, maybe an inch or few, over six feet, which is somewhat under two meters. Um, his hair was a little darker than mine and around halfway between his chin and shoulders, and he usually tucked it in a hat. He had green eyes, but it was occasionally hard to tell that they were. Personality-wise, he tended to be soft-spoken, reclusive, and quite like me. Does that paint a nice picture for you?" I relax into the car seat.

"It paints a vivid picture, Elise. Your description was impeccable," Thor answers quietly, scratching his face lightly.

"Sorry," I respond. "I tend to have a photographic memory quite often."

"Oh, no. It's fine, Elise. I wasn't expecting that much of a description."

I suddenly remember the stranger in my room. "Do you think," I say again, "that Loki may have a plan to use me for his own reasons? Would Loki try to reach me in ways that most people don't?"

Thor turns solemn. "Loki has done many things, Elise. He may do anything to make you his own partner, but servant may be a more appropriate word. Be careful."

I close my eyes. Jared wakes up, causing me to reopen them. He looks out the window.

"Well, we're almost to Stark Tower. The truck should be there already. Others will help us. Elise, you only need to take your things to your room."

"That's a lot to say after a nap," I reply.

"We are only a block from Stark Tower. I can see it now."

"Oh."

I've taken all of my items to my room, and I see the window is open. I close it and set out everything, including placing the statue on my nightstand and sorting my clothes.

I find Jared and Thor in the lounge, eating spaghetti. Jared waves as he sees me enter.

"Grab some spaghetti, Elise. There's plenty."

I make a small plate of spaghetti and sit down near them. I eat most of the food without another word and wash the dishes that I used.

"So what shall we do now?" I ask.

"There's nothing more for today. I'll be in the lab for the rest of the week. Feel free to join me whenever," Jared responds.

"Alright," I say and return to my room. I open my laptop and write a bit. Afterwards, I go to sleep once the page is finished.

"Hey, Captain Crumpet. How's the morning?" I greet Jared as I walk into the lab he used: floor 91.

"All is well, Elise. Would you mind acquiring for me a small amount of iridium?"

"I can get you some iridium-193 from my lab. Dmitri won't care."

He bows his head. "Yes, please."

I leave to my the laboratory a floor below us, taking the stairs. I unlock the door and find the storage area for mine and Dmitri's elements.

"Number seventy-seven," I murmur to myself. I find gold first, then platinum. "Iridium, there it is."

I pull out a tiny container of iridium-193 and bring it to Jared. "I don't see how this is going to be any different than the other metals."

"Well, for one thing, none of the nonmetals move. After this, I shall try some metalloids. What do you say?"

"I suppose," I answer, setting the iridium down on the table and sitting on the chair to the right of Jared. "What if we tried compounds of things like granite or even dirt?"

"We could try that. Now, please let me concentrate on this."

I rest my head down on the table and let Jared bend the iridium. All seems to be going smoothly. He moves a finger and the iridium twists itself in return.

"Why don't you go grab me a soil sample from over there," he whispers, pointing to a pot with soil inside.

I scoop out a cup and bring it to Jared. He releases the iridium from his grip and turns to the soil. He does the same to the earth as what he did to the iridium. Nothing happens. Jared frowns and returns to the iridium.

I sit back down in the chair. He shapes the iridium, pulling it apart and molding the pieces back together. As he is separating the iridium, a cracking sound can be heard. I can feel a sudden wave of heat emanate past me.

"What was that?" I ask.

"I'm not sure. Did I break, by accident, the iridium?"

Jarvis interrupts us. « Sir Knightson, Miss Iridium, please remove yourself from the lab until you have an efficient enough supplies to handle gamma radiation. I have detected a dangerous amount of radiation and recommend that you make sure you are unharmed. »

I look to Jared. "I wasn't expecting that. Let's get going. I know where we can find a radiation poisoning tester. There's always one in the infirmaries."

We walk to the infirmary. I find the modified Geiger counter in the cabinet and turn it on.

"How does this work?" Jared asks me.

"Tony modified a few Geiger counters so that they really became a different tool in its entirety. They can be programmed to read specific types of radiation, like gamma. Let me try it out," I reply. I hold the reader to Jared, but it tells me nothing. I hold it near myself and there's a small reading. "JARVIS, I thought you said there was an overabundance of radiation. I am not getting much at all."

« I apologize, Miss Iridium. It appears that the decay was only miniscule, regardless of its energy. The iridium has also replaced its atoms to their original state. The iridium is again only 193. It was at one point a notable amount of iridium-192 and iridium-194. The radiation has since ceased. Feel free to return to the lab. It was merely a gamma pulse, which is almost unheard of and may be extremely dangerous. No one has survived a true gamma pulse, as they usually die nearly immediately from radiation poisoning or less than a week later from organ cancer. The closest thing to a gamma pulse that occurs naturally on Earth are lightning strikes. »

"Jared," I begin, "I believe we may have found something useful from your powers."

"I say we take a break from tests for a while. It's late and I need some sleep."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow."

I follow Jared to the elevator, but get out on floor 89. I nod a goodbye to him as the elevator door closes. Thor comes inside after seeing me enter the room.

"Good evening, Elise. How does it?" he greets me.

"It's fairly okay. We got quite far on our testing and are likely finished for the week. When are the others coming back? I know that Darren and Vanessa were here last week. It's been just over two weeks since they all left for California."

"Patience, Elise. Banner and a few others will return tomorrow. Go rest. We have quite a day for tomorrow."

I listen to Thor and go to my bedroom. I put on some pyjamas and then open the window a little. I lie down in bed and close my eyes. I eventually fall asleep after letting my mind run free for a while.

There it is again. The creature, the person, the dream, is in my room again. I stay silent as the figure glides around my room, checking for something, looking for something. But what is it looking for?

The stranger approaches me again, but this time I won't react. It kneels and reaches a hand up again. My eyes are still closed, but I can hear what it is doing. It places a finger on my neck and lets it rest there for a while. It then stands up again.

"Hmm, I see you have fooled me today. I believe that you are worthy. Open your eyes," it, no, _he_, says quietly.

I do what he tells me to do. It's still fairly dark, but he turns on the lamp on my nightstand. I sit up and look at him. He has pulled the chair next to the nightstand over to my bed and is sitting on it.

"So you've finally caught me, huh? How does it feel to know not many mortals can do that?" he asks.

He is indeed wearing dark clothing. This included black both pants and green shirt, along with what is likely a dark green and black trench coat. That is different than before. His hair is somewhat shorter than Thor's and about the same shade as mine, although it may have been darker. His eyes appear to be green.

"I am a bit more sensitive to my surroundings than most people. That may explain it," I answer.

"Oh, but perhaps you aren't like most people at all." He smirks and leans forward towards me. His voice is soft, no matter what he says. "And perhaps that is why I am here."

I feel myself becoming nervous. "Perhaps it would be better if you'd tell me your name," I reply.

"Another time, but for now I must stay an enigma to you." He stands and goes to the window. "I shall return soon, and I would prefer that you leave the window open for me." He perches up on the windowsill and looks back at me.

"When shall you return?"

"The next night Thor is not on guard and every night he is not after that. Yet I may appear when he is." He jumps from the window and disappears as quickly as he appeared.

I sigh and lie back down. He is such a curious person, and he looked much like what Kholi did. Was Thor right about Kholi being fake? I dispel the thought from my mind and try to return to sleep.

"Elise!" Thor calls from inside the lounge. I turn to look at him from out on one of the outdoor pathways.

"Yeah?" I call in return.

"The others are back. I thought you'd like to know. Come with me and greet them. They're in the War Room."

I stand up and walk along the outdoor pathway to him. He smiles and returns inside. I follow him to the elevator.

"Do you know who is all here?" I ask.

"Banner, Steve, Natasha and your friends have all returned for the weekend. I believe that Bruce may stay here while the others leave again."

"M'kay."

"You seem upset. Are you well?"

"Yes, Thor, I'm fine, just a bit offset by the testing yesterday. I'll manage regardless."

"Very well, Elise."

The elevator bell rings, causing me to cringe from the noise, and the door opens. Everyone is sitting at the table chatting with one another, except for one person. Someone is missing.

"Hey, Elise," Dmitri greets me. "I've got some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first?"

I frown. "The good news."

"We've discovered a lot about the AWT. They really are recruiting super villains and masterminds and doing everything that I was told."

"And... The bad news?"

"Darren- er, Bionet and Scarlet Flare have gone rogue. They turned on us when we were about to take down Hammer. They all got away. Darnessa strikes again," Dmitri explains with attitude.

So I missed two people, not one. They must be at the AWT. "What other super villains did you find?"

She runs a list in order of remembrance, counting them off with her fingers as she goes. "Hammer; a dude in a red suit, the Crimson Dynamo; Hammer's daughter, the Crimson Cowl; some lady that had the same powers as Mystique, that's what Tony said, anyways; a crazy Asian man with a thing for rings; the god of mischief, Loki; and a few others. You wouldn't happen to know about any of them, do you?"

I hesitate. "I do not know any more than others would. I could help you with their plans, maybe. I can think like a mastermind, you know."

Tony throws a hand down on the table. "That's it!" he interrupts us excitedly.

"What's it?" Dmitri asks.

"Elise!" he shouts. He pulls out what appears to be a pencil and approaches me. "Back away from her. I'm testing something."

Everyone watches Tony take whatever it is in his hand and jab it in my side. Electricity. I shriek. Bruce tells Tony to stop, but he ignores Bruce.

"I think it's working!" he answers to Bruce after zapping me multiple times.

Panic attack. I lash out at Tony, ripping the instrument out of his hand and sending it flying across the room. I stand up slowly and glare at a blurry Tony.

"Elise, stand down," Natasha demands.

My vision returns to me, and I see Natasha aiming her pistol at me. Everyone else has a look of fear or surprise on their faces. I look down to see sparks flying from my wrists to hands and up at Mjolnir to see it sparking as well. I shake my hands a little and the sparks fade away.

"What was that?" I inquire, dazed and confused.

Bruce walks up to us. "It appears that you absorb certain things, which, in this case, happens to be electricity. I remember you also absorbed part of the Other Guy's power a few weeks ago."

"But that was before the lab accident. How would that work?" I reply.

"According to the testing, you have always been like this. The Extremis Virus explosion only exploited and enhanced it. There seems to have been a missing link in your genetics and this is the effect of the missing link trying to fix itself," he explains.

"That's impossible. You can't be missing part of your genetics," I respond.

"There isn't anything literally missing. There's something that shouldn't be there in a normal person."

I sigh. "I see. May we change the subject? And Natasha, please put the gun away. I'm not going to hurt anyone."

She apologises and returns the pistol to its holster. Tony brushes himself off before continuing to talk.

"Elise, you have the mind of a super villain, yet you choose to stay on the right side of the bad to good spectrum. You know how the lefties think. Why don't you tell us their next move?"

I roll my eyes at him. "I can't just _tell_ you. I haven't a clue as to what they are doing."

"We aren't too sure of what they're up to either. Tell me about what you've learned while we were away."

"I have learned a bit about this Justin Hammer you loathe. You say they want to build droids, but they need the parts for it and the people to build it. If I were him, I'd try to work on enhancing my workers or minions, however you want to look at it, by trying to make a Super Soldier Serum, like our Extremis Virus. He may have had Darren or Vanessa try to steal our formulas, since they had worked. The good news about that is they will never have the entire recipe for it."

It's quiet for a moment before Tony speaks up. "Interesting. I like the way you think. We need more good bad guys."

I walk to the elevator. "I do hate how you always return to Stark Tower late at night. Pepper wants to talk to you about something. She told me to tell you that."

Dmitri hops into the elevator with me. The door closes and we press the buttons for the floors of our bedrooms.

"It's nice to see you again. It's a little disappointing that Tony doesn't want you to come with back to Los Angeles. He says that you are 'too unstable.' Bruce convinced Tony to let him stay, though, so you won't be alone," she says.

"That's nice to know."

"Brighten up, Elise. If Darren or Vanessa show up, you can beat the crap out of them. Tony wants to train you to be a spy, which is why Natasha's here. He wants you to infiltrate the AWT and find out what they're doing."

"When do we start?"

She smiles. "Tomorrow, if you're ready."

"I will be."

I hear him again. This time he is sitting on the edge of my bed instead of on the chair. He moves and starts investigating me. He eventually sits down to my right and leans toward me. I open my eyes, sit up, and then reach out and touch his shoulder. He chuckles a bit and makes a small ball of light with his hands.

"That can't be real," I say.

He makes the ball travel over to my lamp and turn it on. The ball of light then dissipates. "Reality is only a perception, Elise. Even the most clairvoyant person will fail to see something."

"But if you accept this, in your heart," I add, "you will then truly perceive everything. And nothing will be missed, even if you believe you have."

He smiles. "But can you really perceive everything? Can you perceive the future?"

"I cannot, and thus, by accepting this, I shall, one day, know something that I may not have. You can only perceive one aspect of the future. This will likely change, as a butterfly's death predicts the death of the universe."

His expression softens. I am unnerved by this for some reason, and I lie back down. He stretches out and rests his head on his arms.

"So, what is your opinion on Natasha training you for the past week?"

"I don't like it. I mean, she may be experienced and everything, but I work a bit differently than she."

"Perhaps you should seek training elsewhere."

"And where would I find someone to train me?"

"Elise, there are many things that you are unaware of, but they will eventually come to light."

"Like what?" I ask, shifting myself to face him.

_Like this._ I hear his voice, but his lips do not move.

"Did you just?"

_Yes, Elise. You try it. It's merely an advanced form of thought which borders on speech. You must act as if to speak, but without voice._

I raise an eyebrow. Surely this is but a dream?

_No it isn't. Your perception needs work._

That was no mere thought, he really heard me. I look to the side. _Telepathy, huh? Is there anything else I need to know?_

He smiles. "Excellent. You learn fast. Your next step would be to obtain the knowledge of magic. This will take more time and a larger field of motion. Rest now, for I shall return in a week's time."

Before he can jump up onto the windowsill, I grab his wrist. "Hold on a moment. Why won't you tell me your name? Why do you leave so suddenly?"

He grins. "All will be revealed in time."

I hear Thor enter the lounge from the elevator. "Loki seems to have left them. Keep an eye out. Elise? Open your eyes. You may sleep in three hours."

I look at him. "I apologise, Thor. I haven't been sleeping much lately."

"I wish to speak with you in private, Elise. Come with me outside," he answers, walking to the door to the outdoor pathway.

I follow him. The sun has almost completely set, and the moon has already risen. Thor sits down, crosses his legs, and motions for me to sit beside him. A cool breeze whispers around us. Thor sets his hammer down between us. He gazes into the appearing stars as he talks.

"Elise, you are much like Loki, and I feared you would be the one to betray us like Bionet and Scarlet Flare did. Strangely, you have kept your loyalty to us, and for that I am grateful. I worry that since Loki has disappeared he will come here and attempt to take you from us. You do not know this, but Stark does not wish for you to fight, as you are a deadly weapon. He wishes for me to bring you to Asgard to solve the mystery of you. I have spoken to Odin, and he wishes to meet you."

"Is there a reason everyone is so interested in me?"

"You have features that are unique to an Asgardian. There is a secret that my father wishes to tell you. I am unaware of this secret myself. Would you like taking a trip to Asgard?"

I think for a moment. "I suppose that a visit to Asgard may help me discover more about myself. I'm in."

"Very well. I shall give you two weeks to prepare." He stands up.

"Thor, one more thing."

"Yes?"

"My window has been opened again. Would you look at it one day for me?"

"I do not see how I can help, but I shall. I must find Tony to alert him of our plan."

"He's in the laboratory on floor ninety-eight with Bruce."

Thor bows his head and returns inside, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I'm sitting up and awake for him now. He suddenly appears in the windowsill and we make eye contact. He smiles.

"Looks like I'm on time today," he murmurs.

"I was expecting you to come. I knew you would want to know more about me going to Asgard. Truth is, I haven't a clue."

"Oh, but I do. You are mortal, and mortals mustn't go to Asgard. There must be something special about you."

"You did say that I could do something other mortals couldn't. Odin has something to tell me, quoth Thor."

"A bit of archaic English in your words? I haven't known anyone of Midgard to use that form of speech at any time around here."

"You should talk to Jared. He uses it far more than I do, but he's been trying to remove it from his main vocabulary lately. Yet, why don't you speak like that?"

He twists around to whisper in my left ear. "It's what you understand. In the ear, my word is modern."

There's a knock on the door. He looks at me and moves to the window. "Thor," he whispers. "Don't listen to his nonsense. I am not the man he says I am."

The door opens, and Thor enters. I look to the window and see that no one is there. "May I speak with you again?" Thor inquires.

"I suppose."

He turns on the light switch and sits down in the chair next to my desk. He looks at me with a serious look on his face.

"What's the matter?" I ask.

"In Asgard, many of my people will look at you with contempt. If they know who you are, they may attempt to converse with you. As a warning, should Loki be there, you must stay away from him unless I or a trusted ally are present. Loki knows of what you are capable and would want to use you for his own personal gain."

"Why would they know me?" I reply.

"You have been known in Asgard longer than S.H.I.E.L.D. has. Once you meet him, Odin will explain why."

"This is happening so suddenly, and nobody is telling me much, if anything. Isn't there something you can say?"

"Of which I know, no. But all will be revealed in time. I must away, for you need to find sleep. I shall try to obtain more information for you should you request it."

"Alright, Thor. Thanks."

I watch Thor exit my room and lie down after he is gone. There's a whisper in my ear.

"Took him long enough to leave," I hear. "I was not finished with our conversation."

I smile, turning to see him in the chair. "I wasn't expecting you to still be here, but the question is: will I be seeing you in Asgard?"

There's a moment of silence. "That matter is discretionary. It depends on your state of mind."

"My state of mind is full of mischief. I'd be careful if I were you."

He smiles. "Likewise."


	10. Chapter 9

Dmitri and I are in the lab. She is to leave in an hour to return to Los Angeles, but the next time the team comes back, they will be staying here. We have just finished cleaning up our most recent experiment and are saying our goodbyes to each other. We go to the War Room for our final debriefing and are the last to arrive.

Tony waves as we enter and sit down. Steve replaces Tony in the front of the meeting table. He begins by explaining the current situation.

"So far we have no word on Bionet or Scarlet Flare and are sure that they are working for the enemy. Geoffrey, Gryphon, Clint, Natasha and Richard are still in L.A. and are waiting for us at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base. There may be a fight between us and the AWT before we finish, but we don't want this fight to take place in the city. Loki has escaped from us multiple times and is likely to not make an appearance. The Mandarin, Nathan Mondeson and Justin Hammer are our top priority for right now. We need to get at least one into custody and find out as much as possible. Our second most wanted people include Justine Hammer; Gennady Gavrilov; their spy, of whom has an unknown name; and Dr. Aristo Schöpfer, their scientist."

Bruce speaks up. "Schöpfer will be difficult to find and will have some dangerous weapons on hand. He must be working with our Extremis Virus, so emergency weapons would be a must with his unstable environment."

Steve nods. "What's not to say that everyone will have deadly weapons on them? We must all be careful. Dmitri, Hunter, Jared, you three are coming with us. This leaves only Thor and Elise here. We have to go now if we want to make it in time. We will rendezvous at the airport. Let's get going."

"Hold on," Dmitri interrupts.

Steve looks at her. "Yes?"

"Isn't the Mandarin dead?" she asks.

Tony stands up. "He was, but Aldrich Killian was apparently a fake. This Mandarin actually has those power rings and oriental outfit, complete with crazy claw-nails."

Dmitri pauses. "Oh, okay."

Everyone disperses into the elevators except for Thor and myself. He stands and walks to his hammer, Mjolnir, and examines it.

He muses. "Mjolnir grows restless, Elise. He senses that Loki is up to no good again. I hunger for altercation as well. They do not understand what is going on. This is no mere scheme to take control. Whatever it is that takes place now is an omen of death for all. This is why we wish to take you to Asgard, for your protection."

I catch his eyes. "So I'm just a weapon nobody knows how to use?"

"As of now, yes. That is what many think. I find it most absurd. You are merely an individual of important proportions. Others wish to use you like S.H.I.E.L.D. in Pennsylvania."

"How do you know that?"

"The metal man likes to tell us the tales of your past."

"But I thought only Bruce knew those things."

"Your files were no longer private once you turned green. S.H.I.E.L.D. put you on the same list as Dr. Banner and myself."

I pause. "What is this list called?"

"The Red List. It contains anyone over a certain level of dexterity."

"JARVIS, get me a list of everyone on the Red List. Print it out for me as well." I walk to the printer in the corner of the room.

« Very well, Miss Iridium. Printing now. I will be out for a while with Master Stark and the others. Would you be able to handle Thor by yourself? »

"It's not Thor I'm worried about. Nonetheless, I shall suffice."

« Printed. » JARVIS answers before becoming silent. I pick up the sheets of paper and staple them into five packets. I carry them with to the elevator.

"I'll be in the lounge for breakfast tomorrow. See you then," I dismiss myself and head to my office.

I have picked up my office, removing the boxes on the desk and moving them to the room next door, as Pepper had told me to do so. I was not allowed to look inside the boxes but did regardless. I hadn't found anything of interest inside, though. The second pile of boxes in the corner of the room is still there. I have yet to move those.

I put four of the packets in one the desk drawers and lay the first one down on the desk top. I go over the papers in search of familiar names. Nothing of interest is to be found in the A's. I get to the B's and find Bruce.

_Banner, Bruce. Level Three, as only harmful by instigation. Brown hair, brown eyes, European skin. Normally secluded. Doctor and Scientist. Known as the Hulk. Turns green and grows when stressed. Can level buildings and even cities. Look for any sign of agitation. If present, fall back. Level Seven in Morality Spectrum, not because of bad ways, but with the desire of neutrality. Keep without stress. Weapons have no effect._

I keep looking, and find Richard on the Red List. His profile is a bit different than Bruce's.

_Clemencyn, Richard. Level Zero, pending removal as a result of stabilization. Dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, European skin. Seemingly average person. S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent and founding member of Unique Network Intelligence Variant Expert Repercussions Superhuman Elites. No secondary name. Manipulation of physics. No offsets. Level Eight of Morality Spectrum._

I do not find anyone else on this list, A to E, so I pull out a new one: P to U. I do not find anyone of interest in the section and grab another packet: V to Z. Nothing again, but I find near the end a section titled New Additions. Here I find all of my friends: Geoffrey, Hunter, Jared, Dmitri, Vanessa, Gryphon and Darren.

All of them are at Level One. Darren and Vanessa are at Level Three on the Morality Spectrum, and everyone else apart from Dmitri is at Level Eight with an asterisk, which means that they are still under examination. Dmitri is Level Six.

I am not on the New Additions list, so I pick up the remaining two packets and go through them. Loki and Thor are in the first packet: Thor is Levels Two and Eight, while Loki is Levels Five and One. I get to the second packet and find two people with the surname Iridium. I am the first and the second is my grandfather.

I look at the Levels of both of us. Mine is Levels Three and Ten, which I find peculiar. My grandfather is Levels Zero, with a note stating that he will always be watched, and Nine. There is something that I find disturbing on my grandfather's profile.

Iridium, Olin. Level Zero, but will remain on watch list. Brown hair, green eyes, Asgardian. Very kindly person, but with false information. No further information. Level Nine on Morality Spectrum.

Asgardian. How is this possible? They must have made a mistake. They were likely told something that set them off. I return all of the packets to the drawer and move some of the boxes next door. I then walk down the steps to my bedroom. I turn on the fan on my nightstand and lie down in bed, falling into a faint sleep after a while of stillness.

* * *

"Awaken, young Elise. I have returned."

I look up to see the dark-haired man standing to the side of my bed. I stand up out of bed and face him.

"Are you ready to go?" he asks.

"Go?" I tilt my head to the side. "Go where?"

"Come with me," he directs.

"Hold on. Can't you tell me where we're going?"

"Not yet. Come on." He grabs my wrist and pulls a bit.

"May I just change clothes first? I am still in pyjamas."

"You are fine, Elise. You're attire is alright. Now, quit stalling."

I sigh. "Alright, I'll come with, in my black shirt and pants. Nothing wrong with pyjamas."

"Precisely." He walks to the door and gestures for me to follow him.

I find myself in the elevator with him and then on floor 83.

"So why are we here?" I ask him.

"Test your skills," he replies and disappears behind me. The lights are not on, yet I can still see well. The obstacle course is about twenty feet behind me. The elevator door opens and I see Thor step out. I hide behind a column on the side of the room in what would be a hallway should a wall have been put up.

"Elise?" Thor calls. "Are you in here? I remember your complaint about the open window and thought I could help. I went to your quarters but did not see you there. I followed you here in hopes that I may give you some valuable information."

I hear the other man's voice near me. "Don't let Thor find you. Return to your room undetected."

"You know something I don't. Tell me," I say. I smile as I realize the reason he wants me to return to my room. "You didn't think Thor would follow us, did you? He is on your trail. Tell me why you are doing this."

He whispers near my ear. "You'll have to get it out of me. Face me, but first, find me."

I close my eyes. I hear breathing just to my left and spring at him. Lucky shot I must've had to actually hit him.

He returns to view as the light turns on near us. The man pins me to the floor and glares at me mischievously, smirking. I kick him off of me, and he rolls a little. I know that I'm hilariously outmatched, but I try regardless.

I punch at him and kick once at his head. He ducks and grabs my shoulders from behind. He tries to pull me to the floor. Thor finally notices what is happening.

"Elise! Hold on, I'm coming!" he runs over, but stops about fifteen feet from me.

The man, who has pinned me to the ground yet again, looks up at Thor and flashes him an evil grin.

"Hello there, Thor. Happy to see me again?" he nonchalantly asks.

"Loki..." was all Thor said.

"Yes, that is my name," he retorts, looking down at me. He lowers his head until it is even with mine, and he whispers in my ear. "You now know my true name. That explains quite a bit about me, doesn't it?"

I don't move, unsure of what would happen if I were to move from lying on the floor. "I suppose that it doesn't change anything now; though it may have before. I figured that you were really you, but I had to make sure," I answer softly.

Loki looks back up at Thor, who speaks next. "Loki, why are you here? Don't play games with Elise. Leave her alone!"

Loki leers at Thor. "She has the potential that I want to see. It's only a matter of time-"

"No!" Thor yells out, charging at us. Loki vanishes in front of my eyes, and Thor stops, confused.

"He got away," he complains quietly to himself. He then helps me stand up.

"That was Loki the whole time," I whisper. "How odd it was that I never figured it out completely."

"My brother, Loki, is definitely trying to manipulate you. Stay away from him. You don't know him like I do."

"Did you think it was him in the first place?"

"Yes, I did. Tony sent me to check on your window and I discovered that Loki had been there. Do you remember when we woke you up after the laboratory accident? Just beforehand you said Loki's name. That was when I first began to worry about the situation. Jared told me about your past. It doesn't surprise me to see Loki after you."

"I feel like such a loon." I yawn. "I should go back to sleep."

"That is fine. I shall see you tomorrow."

I go back to my room and open the door. Loki is sitting in the chair, having pulled it next to my bed and turned the lamp on earlier. He smiles as I close the door.

"A narrow escape from the god of thunder, I presume?" he taunts.

"It was easy."

"Good, that means I was right."

"About what?"

"You'll find out eventually."

"Loki, I'd like to find out now."

"I'll bargain with you. You can find out Saturday morning, if you do what I tell you."

"It depends on what you tell me."

"That's for you to find out. Yes or no?"

"I suppose."

"That settles it. I will be across the road tomorrow to see you."

"Alright, now let me get some rest until then."

"Farewell for now, Elise," he says, standing.

I lie down in my bed. "See you soon, Loki." I close my eyes and roll to face the wall. I hear Loki's footsteps fade away, along with everything else.

* * *

I wake up to Thor knocking on my door. He calls for me.

"Elise, are you in there? I need to talk to you. Now."

"Hold on, I'll meet you in the lounge. Let me get ready and grab a bite to eat," I reply through the door.

"Very well, Elise. I shall see you there." His footsteps tell me he's left.

I get ready by doing the things that I normally do. I comb my hair so that only the right side is tucked behind my ear. I put on a red shirt over a yellow tank top and blue jeans.

I go to the lounge and see that Thor is not in here. I make a bowl of cold cereal with strawberries for myself and munch on it until it is gone. I put the dishes in the dishwasher and start it, since it is full.

I hear the elevator moving just as I am opening the door to sit out on the outdoor walkway. I go out regardless and look out down the block to see what appears to be Loki sitting on a bench. I lie down in the morning sun to wait for Thor to come out. A while later I hear the door open and Thor closing it behind him.

"What did you wish to pettifog with me about now, Thor?"

"This is only about Loki. I will do my best to keep him from you, as will everyone else. He will use you for what he desires and then will kill you. In all of reality, you may be the only reason he is here. You may be the only reason we are all here."

"The others aren't here," I reply.

"They will be, tonight, as a matter of fact. I will not alert them of my brother being around if you do not let him near you."

"I was planning on going out for today. Would you mind being alone whilst I am away?" I stand up and walk towards the door.

"I would suppose not. Where are you going?" he asks.

"Places," is all I say before pressing the button on the elevator to go down.

"If you cannot tell me where, I have no choice but to accompany you."

I press the button for the lobby, and Thor follows me down. "It's a bit of a private matter. I'm only leaving for fresh air and stress relief. You'd likely only bother me with your presence."

"I have never been one to bother people. Why is there such a problem with me joining you on your own?"

"I'd rather have an afternoon by myself to clear my mind and calm down. I won't be long."

"But what if Loki attacks you? I cannot help you then," he protests while I walk out of Stark Tower.

"It's alright, Thor. I'll be fine on my own. I'm only going out to get some air. I will return before tonight," I say to Thor.

"Very well, Elise. I shall remain here and wait for the others to return. If you do not come back by tonight, we will find you. This is only for your own safety," he replies.

Thor walks back into Stark Tower, leaving me alone. I walk a block away and find a man with dark hair waiting for me, Loki. He's wearing his green and black coat still, and I notice that there are intricate gold designs on it.

"What took you so long?" he asks with an evil grin on his face.

"Thor, again," I tell him.

"He won't leave you alone, will he? But then again, they all won't."

"Exactly. Now, shall we go?"

"Yes," he answers, taking my arm in his. He then gently pulls me along. We walk for another block before we arrive at a black car. He opens the door and gestures for me to get in.

I climb in and scoot to the other side of the back seat. Loki sits down next to me and closes the door. The car begins to drive away.

"Who's driving?" I ask.

"It's one of my coworkers, Leon. We will be going to the Alliance of War Technologies headquarters. Just play along with anything I do."

"Alright."

It doesn't take long to get to the AWT headquarters. When we step out of the car, it begins to rain. There's a flash of lighting, and I see Loki cringe at it.

"Are you alright?"

"You tend to grow accustomed to Thor appearing whenever lighting strikes. It's only a reflex in my eyes," he says.

I walk closer to him in an attempt to calm him down. As we enter the building through a side door, I change the reason of why I am walking closer to Loki into because I am the one that is nervous.

We travel down a hallway in silence and arrive in a room that is quite small. The back wall is covered in black cloth or sheets. Loki turns on a light and closes the door.

"I noticed you have a thing for dimly lit rooms. Where are we?" I ask.

"This is where I stay, work, things like that. I am not usually in here often. I spend most of my time elsewhere, but I keep my things here." He walks over to a desk a few feet from the door and opens a drawer with manila envelopes inside. He digs through them until he finds the one he is looking for.

"This is where I discovered you, oh so long ago. You were discovered by S.H.I.E.L.D. five or so months ago. I had found you before they had. By taking on a second name, I could find someone to be my 'partner-in-crime.' This merely happened to be you. It is September now, and I sense trouble brewing. It is a storm, but I find myself not wanting a part in this battle. You are not ready for it yet. The Avengers are on Justin Hammer's tail, and this will only end in his demise. It will make way for Mandarin to lead, and I fear that he is jealous of my talents."

"So what do you want with me?"

"I want you to join me. I believe that, with proper training, we together have the ability to rule the world. This is purely your choice, and I will not punish you for choosing otherwise. I only wish for you to see your potential as of right now." He hands me the envelope. "Inside contains the information that I received from the AWT. The person who acquired this is someone you may know, the late Tonya Helens. She has since been replaced by the chameleon woman."

I look through the files to find nearly all of my history up until arriving at Stark Tower. I see my relations with other people, my favourite things, my personality, and even my abilities. There is about a page's length of my manipulative behaviour. I then find an extra page, stapled together with the rest of the files, with handwriting on it.

"That's what I think of you," Loki tells me after seeing me glance at it. "Go ahead and sit down in the chair. I shall return soon. I have errands to run."

"Alright," I breathe as he leaves the room. I flatten out the paper and read some of what is written.

_~Elise Lyra Iridium is quite curious. ~She is not afraid to investigate my presence. ~I can sense her unique abilities in her. ~She appears to take my side whenever I am near. I do believe, however, that I must admit that this plan may be fatally flawed. ~I find myself wondering what Odin would think of her. ~I mustn't pull her from her world into another, for that is no way to win over a mortal. ~She does not see her own downfall: she is restricted by humanity and its morals. If she were to escape from such things, she has the potential to become truly great- a goddess, if you will._

The rest of the page is blank. I return everything to the envelope and stand up. Loki has not yet returned. _She is restricted by humanity and its morals._ What does that really mean? I turn around and face the curtains on the back wall. That isn't actually the back wall. I go to the right side of the room and push aside the black cloth to reveal a second half of the room.

There is a small mattress in the corner with a plain, dark blue blanket over it. A window with more black cloth as curtains is on the true back wall. Another envelope is next to the mattress. I walk over and pick it up.

_Loki Laufeyson_ is on the first page of the packet of papers. I shuffle through some of the pages and see his basic profile. I find a long essay on his personality and what he has done in the past: seizing the throne of Asgard and nearly destroying New York are among others. I glance over a part where it is stated that containment of Loki is nearly impossible. He is not known to show many true emotion as well. There is also a page on something that intrigues me:

_Loki Laufeyson is in love with the woman he seeks to take advantage of. He originally wished to only use her for his own selfish purposes, and likely still does, but he is now rejecting the fact that he has emotions like the rest of us. The woman should be looked after, because Loki will do whatever it takes to make her his. She needs to be careful around him._

The rest of the page is covered in whiteout. I suddenly hear footsteps in the hall. I quickly and quietly replace everything to its original state and return to the front half of the room. I then hear voices, which I find astonishing because normal people can't do that. I then remember about the Extremis Virus incident that occurred approximately two months ago.

It started with Loki. "I don't think that you have the slightest idea of what goes on in my consciousness. You shouldn't be critical of my plan, Hammer."

Another man speaks after him. "Loki, I can tell you this: get rid of the girl. I've seen you talk about her. I know when you're going to go see her. You have read your assessment, haven't you? You may not know this, because you're an Asgardian, or a runt of a frost giant, or something like that, but you like her far more than you may think you do. You're just too blind to see it."

"If you're talking about love, this isn't it, Hammer. She's a human female, a mortal."

"Test your boundaries, Laufeyson. You may just learn something from it."

I hear the man named Hammer leave down the hallway. Loki fumbles to open the door. He walks in. He's pale-faced and shaking.

"Oh my god, Loki, what's wrong?"

"I say we take you back to Stark Tower," he mumbles.

We manage to get him to Stark Tower and to my room without anyone noticing.

"JARVIS, when do the others get back?" I ask as I lay Loki down on my bed.

« Tonight at nineteen or seven o'clock. » JARVIS replies.

"That's an entire five hours away. Is it possible that you can keep Loki a secret from them?"

« I shall try, Miss Iridium, but I cannot help you should they discover him personally. »

"Thank you for that."

I rest my hand on Loki's forehead. Nothing. His eyes burn red and his skin has turned a faint blue. He suddenly reaches up and wraps his arms around my neck. I squeal in surprise.

« Do you request assistance, Miss Iridium? »

"No, JARVIS. Leave me alone. I will call you when you are required."

Loki pulls me close to him. We are face-to-face with each other, and he starts whispering nonsense.

"You... Nothing like I thought... Do not understand… Have to contain... Confuses me... Help... I am..." Loki closes his eyes and rests his head upon one of the pillows. He releases me from his grip. "Do not fret, for I only need some rest."

I stand up and walk to the door, looking back before leaving to find Thor. I close the door behind me.

"JARVIS?" I ask.

« Yes? »

"Where is Thor?"

« Currently, Thor is on the roof. Would you like me to request him to meet you? »

"Yes, please. Send him to the War Room. I shall meet him there."

I go quickly to the elevator and to floor 84. I get there before Thor does and sit down in the couch. I bury my head in my hands. Thor enters into the room. He sees me.

"Elise, what has happened to you?" he asks.

"You were right. Loki is only here because of me. I learned many things about him today. Did you know that he has known me for longer than S.H.I.E.L.D. has?" I explain, trying to not throw up.

Thor pushes my head up. "Elise, your neck is blue. Did you come into contact with Loki?"

"Yes, and I am quite certain that I did the same thing to him that I did to Bruce and that tazer."

"Does it feel like frostbite?"

"Not much. It feels a bit cold, but other than that, it's fine."

"How do you feel ill?"

"Because Loki was. I don't know what's going on anymore. Loki's in my room and-"

"Why is he in your room?" Thor demands.

"Because I brought him there. He..."

Thor stands up. "I'm going to go see him. May the gods help him."

"But you can't! Just- just stay away from him for a while. I'll straighten this out. I need to give him some space first, because he was acting fairly strange. He was ill, like someone, like someone poisoned him. I have to make sure that he won't do anything."

"Go see Loki for a moment, but I want you to come back here and wait for the others to return. Alright?"

"Very well, Thor. I shall do that."

I return to my room and find Loki staring out the window. I approach him slowly, but he doesn't move.

"Loki? Thor knows you're here. He knows everything about you. You should go. It would be safer than staying."

"He doesn't know _everything._ He doesn't know about us."

"Yes, he does. Thor is trying to get me to cast you away, and that is what I'm trying to do right now."

Loki smiles. "No, you aren't. You're trying to convince yourself that it is best that I go, because you don't agree with him," he replies. He walks around me into the middle of my bedroom.

"Loki, you've got it all wr-"

He cuts me off by pulling me to him and kissing me. Surprised, I try in vain to push him away, as he is much stronger than I. He releases me from his grasp and backs away from me.

"Get out," he whispers.

"No, you should be the one gett-"

He pins me against the wall by my shoulder. "Get out!" he says a little louder than earlier. He darts back to the window, watching the rain falling.

I quickly leave the room and go back to Thor. I sit down in the elevator as it goes up. "JARVIS, slow the elevator down. I don't feel well at all."

« As you wish, Miss Iridium. »

"And JARVIS? Would you please send me one dosage of my medication? I've been off of it for five months. It's no wonder I'm deteriorating like this."

« I apologize, Miss Iridium, but your prescription has expired. I cannot get you any more. »

I shake my head. "Oh well. I'll just have to crawl through this like every other time before."

It suddenly becomes hard to breathe, and I'm soon gasping for air.

"Nevermind, JARVIS. Make.. the ele.. vator.. go.. fas..."

I feel the elevator moving faster. The door opens, and Thor sees me sitting on the floor. He grows furious.

"That's it! I'm getting rid of Loki for you!" He storms towards the elevator and me.

"No!" I shout, pouncing at him. I head-butt him, and he falls backwards. "You.. leave him.. alone!" I snarl.

Thor stares at me in astonishment. "Elise, what has gotten into you? Have you gone mad?" Thor asks.

"Don't..." I breathe in, "you dare... touch him..." I close my eyes as an agonising headache finds me. "Oh dear, what did I do, Thor?"

"What has Loki done to you? You're becoming a monster," he responds.

"Loki... Loki is trying to make me his slave. He's done something, something that I just don't understand completely."

Thor stands up. "Why not relax here? I shall make sure Loki stops pestering your mind, at least for the time being."

I flop down on the couch in the corner of the room. "Aw hell, this all makes no sense. I mean, how did Loki even find me in the first place? Why did he do _that_? How does all of this even fit together with everything? This makes absolutely no sense," I mumble to myself and sigh.

Thor kicks the floor lightly. He turns his head to face me. "He did what?"

"Oh, you know, Loki things. Threatening me, bargaining, being a trickster, making romantic advances, appearing and disappearing suddenly, telling me secrets, trying to turn me against you all, things like that."

"What was that?" Thor inquires.

"What was what?"

"What you said."

"Trying to turn me against you?"

"No, before that."

"Telling me secrets?"

"No," Thor answers. "He's making romantic advances on you. We're you merely being sarcastic? Loki is not that kind of person."

"Yes." I hesitate. "No, I lied. I apologise. He did. He kissed me and then became angry. I think he's having some problems with his mind. I- I just don't know what's going on."

Thor sits down in the chair across from the couch. "Everything you're talking of makes me want to go admonish Loki, but I realise what you are going through. I will stay out of this unless you request my participation."

"Thank you, Thor," I murmur. I rest my head down on the couch arm and close my eyes. "Wake me when they get back."

"Very well," he replies.

I do not fall asleep, but rather I listen to Thor in order to make sure he leaves Loki alone.

* * *

JARVIS chimes me out of my phase. « Thor Odinson, Miss Iridium, the Avengers have returned. They shall meet you in here. »

I stand up and go to the table. Thor follows. A few minutes later, everyone files out of the elevators and into the War Room. Dmitri finds me after having argued with Richard about something.

"Hey, Elise," she greets. "How has being the god's babysitter been?"

"Treacherous. I spent most of my time by myself," I answer with a smile.

"Great. Did you want to work in the lab tomorrow? We're working on the Extremis effects."

"That sounds like a break from my usual routine nowadays."

Steve, Tony and Bruce go to the front of the table between it and the windows.

"I'm glad to say that we won't be going back to L.A. without another real reason," Tony announces. "Steve and Bruce would like to say a few things before we dismiss everyone."

Bruce speaks up as Tony sits in his chair. "The Alliance of War Technologies has withdrawn from Los Angeles, and what they were there for appears to have been found. It was pretty obvious that they needed parts for suits similar to Tony's, but why does everyone want to have these suits? I am also fairly certain that they will be taking their operations closer to home. Please be prepared for any conflict." Bruce sits down next to Tony.

Steve is the final one to talk. "Nick Fury has taken notice of the AWT and doesn't like what he sees. This is turning into a S.H.I.E.L.D. project. We can't go home just yet. The next place I see us going is back to the helicarrier. Elise, I believe by then you will be able to join us in battle. Should you have any further questions, just come ask me or someone else. That is all."

Everyone chats quietly with one another for a while before people begin to leave. I am the fourth to exit the room into the elevator and go back to mine.

The elevator door opens, and I walk down the hallway. I turn to the right and see Loki in the hall outside my room. He waits for me to approach him.

"Loki!" I whisper. "You should have stayed in my room!"

His eyes are still red and his skin is a bit more blue than earlier. He looks me in the eyes, solemn, and returns to my bedroom. I follow him and close the door behind me.

"You know that the Avengers are back, why did-"

Loki cuts me off and throws me up against the door. "Odin must have done it," he growls.

"Done what?"

"Cursed me. He must have cursed me to feel human emotion. It's awful. Unless," his gaze sharpens, "unless you've cursed me." Loki curls his lip in anger.

"I don't understand. Loki, stop it. You're scaring me. You'll give me a panic attack," I breathe.

He smiles wickedly. "You did it, didn't you? You have feelings for me, don't you? Don't you!?" Loki grasps my face and lowers his to my left ear. "It burns you to see me like this, doesn't it? Your perception fails you, Elise Lyra Iridium."

I press myself against the door, torn between opinions. I quickly devise a plan of escape. "I'm touched to hear that you think that, Loki. It's just..."

"What is it?" he looks at me with curiosity filling his eyes.

"I know that it is never going to work out between us. We're just so," I pause, "different."

Loki's grip loosens. There's a knock on the door. He stands up straight. "I shall return again, when it is safer for me to be present."

I get up and open the door. Dmitri waits for me in the hall. She becomes concerned when she sees me.

"Are you okay?" she asks me.

"I just have to sit down," I answer, "but not here."

Dmitri begins to walk down the hallway. "Come with me. Bruce insisted I take you to him so that he can tell you something. I'm going to have to cancel our lab day until later."

I nod my head. "It's fine. You just do it yourself, then." I follow her in silence until we reach floor 90. Every part of me is screaming to tell her about Loki, but I stay silent. She takes me into the infirmary room where Bruce is waiting for us.

"I thought I'd let you know that Geoffrey and Gryphon are staying in Los Angeles to keep an eye out for anything suspicious," Dmitri points out.

Bruce then speaks. "I have two things that I have to speak with you about. First things first, your PTSD seems to be progressing in the wrong direction. We have all been monitoring you for the past few weeks and noticed it obviously getting worse, so we decided that you needed to know about it. We may have to start you on medication again. Second," Bruce says. The two look at the door as Thor walks in.

He gestures for me to follow him. I glance over at Bruce, who shoos me away. I go with Thor out of the room and into the elevator. We go to the top floor.

"We shouldn't be up here, Thor. They haven't rebuilt the lab yet."

"We are only passing through." Thor steps out into the empty room. The floor still has a charred mark in the middle, along with a smaller one a short distance away. He strolls to a locked door on the other side of the laboratory. He takes a key and unlocks the door. He then opens the door to reveal a dark corridor. He takes my wrist in his hand. I flinch mentally but pretend to not care. Thor leads me into the hallway, and I find us walking up a staircase.

Thor opens another door and my eyes adjust to see the city. We're on the roof. I notice a part of the roof where it is elevated a bit. There are stairs connecting the elevated area to the rest of the roof.

"What is that?" I ask.

"Our bridge to Asgard," he tells me. "Stand on it."

I hesitate, at least, until Thor picks up Mjolnir. I then scurry over to where Thor had directed me to go. He joins me and reaches into the sky with the hammer. Lightning shoots into the sky. A beam of light suddenly meets the bolt halfway. My vision turns to white, blank, and then black.


	11. Chapter 10

My vision is restored to me. I feel incredibly sick and fall to my hands and knees. I am surrounded by what looks like metal everywhere, and Thor is just to my left. He helps me up.

"That usually happens the first time you travel. Your discomfort shall pass soon," he tells me.

"That was exhilarating, but I wasn't expecting that crazy of a trip," I reply. I follow Thor outside. "Whoa," I say as I see the city of Asgard. It was as if all of the metal in the world had been made into a city in what looks like a floating meadow with various elevations and streams running between them.

"Back that way," Thor points out, "is the Grand Hall. Your chambers are over in this direction."

Thor walks away to a small house about a half of a kilometer from the Grand Hall. A stream is a short distance from the front door. He opens the door for me. The house is empty apart from a bed with what appears to be satin sheets, a chair next to a counter, and a few other small things. There are windows on every side of the house.

"These chambers have been designed like a mortal's house would be. It hasn't been used in quite some time, so we hope you like it," Thor explains.

"It will suffice. The only thing that bothers me is that I have no clothing beyond what I am wearing, and this makes me feel like an outcast because of its earthly design."

"No worries, Elise. There is a closet with plenty of outfits for you to wear." Thor goes to the closet and opens it up to reveal a walk-in closet with dresses and a couple pant-and-shirt outfits that seem to be for combat.

A few catch my eyes. The first is a lavender dress with halter-top as a flowing bottom that is longer in the back than front. Thor tells me it is a nightgown, but I may use the dresses for any reason I desire. The second dress I ask about is long-sleeved with vertical cuts in the skirt and green with gold accents. There is black lace various places on the dress and designs on the shoulder as well.

"Loki took it from your room. It was the dress from the box. He took your statue as well. It is on the counter across the room," Thor informs me. "He told me it would make you feel more comfortable."

I sigh and keep looking in the closet. There is a dress that looks similar to the ones that Thor and I saw on the way here. It is a silvery or golden colour and looks to be an off-the-shoulder dress. I stop looking at the dresses.

"Thor, which do you think I should wear?" I ask. "If we're going anywhere, I'd like to know if I should change clothes."

Thor smiles. "Yes, we have a meeting with Odin tonight. He will show you around, and we have a few other things to do as well." He pulls out a simple dress that has a colour like the last one I saw. This one is the top shape of the green dress with the bottom of the lavender one. "This one seems appropriate for now. The closet door opens from both sides. I'll be waiting for you out there."

He leaves me in the closet and closes the door. I change clothes quickly. The dress fits me surprisingly well. I open the door and see Thor in the chair. He looks up.

"There are shoes for you in the shoe rack," he adds.

I find a pair of matching shoes. "Better?" I ask him. "How do I look?"

He smiles as he stands. "Like a goddess, Elise." He walks to the door. Flashback, Loki, nothing. Thor speaks again. "Let us go to the Grand Hall. I'd like you to meet my friends."

We arrive at the Grand Hall. I look around and see many Asgardians. Thor takes me to a huge table where even more Asgardians are seated, eating and chatting. He walks to the other side and stops. Three men and a woman turn and greet Thor.

"Elise, I would like you to meet Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. They are Volstagg the Valiant, Fandral the Dashing, and Hogun the Grim," Thor says.

The larger man with a ginger beard and the blond one smile at me. The other man and the woman merely stare. I shuffle my feet.

"Hi," I greet them.

"You brought another mortal to Asgard, Thor? Why aren't you being punished for this?" the third man, Hogun, asks.

"These mortals are no mere mortals. Odin has given me his permission, and he wishes to speak with Elise soon," Thor replies. He. Moves a little to reveal Jared sitting next to Fandral.

"Jared! How did you get here?" I inquire.

"Thor ere brought me. It was a bit awkward since he's been away," Jared answers. "I've been working on our outfits. Dost you desire a peek?"

"Sure."

I look at the outfits. They are well-designed, and mine is a red and black shirt with black pants. There are some spikes on the gloves.

"Yours is still a work in progress," Jared admits. "Mine, Dmitri's and Hunter's are finished."

I smile. Dmitri's is modified to use her iron suit, Jared's is a classic chainmail-and-steel knight combo, and Hunter's is simple, with camouflage and goggles for speed running.

"All you need now is me. I'm sure we'll find something for me."

"I made one for Bruce ere my leave. Geoffrey is making it as we speak."

"You need a miracle of an imagination for that to work."

"But it will. I have no doubt."

A guard approaches us. "Odin wishes to see you three. Come with me."

Odin is waiting for us in the main section of the Grand Hall. "Ah, Thor, I see you have brought both of the two I had asked for. Now, if you'll all come with me. I want to make this quick. You have much to do."

He takes us to an underground area with what seem to be multiple artifacts from various sources. He picks up a sword.

"Now, you both are worthy of these weapons. Jared Knightson, I bestow upon thee a weapon to be used only in justified battle and not in cold blood. Dost thou accept such an item?"

Jared bows his head. "Ay," he responds.

Odin smiles and sheaths the sword, handing it to Jared afterwards. "Elise, it is now your turn to accept Asgardian power."

Odin walks further into the vault. He returns with a small, golden bracelet studded with emeralds and gives it to me.

"This is for you," Odin tells me. "Loki made it but left it here when he left to find you again. I know he wants you to have it. Be careful, it enhances your magic once you put it on. Now, I have some more things that need to be done. Elise, if you'll come with me, I'll tell you something that you need to know."

Odin takes me somewhere. I believe it is the throne room. A woman is in the room. She introduces herself as Frigga, Odin's wife, and then excuses herself from the room.

"Elise, I have no idea how to word this differently, but I once knew your grandfather, Olin. In fact, we were close friends and even fought together. He knew Thor and Loki when they were infants. He did, however, leave us to live in Midgard. This is what you should know. You have a right to be here because you are, in fact, of the Aesir. You are one of us, and I hope that you wish to learn more about us."

I am speechless.

Odin nods his head. "Very well. I believe that I shall return you to Thor so that he may escort you to your chambers, which was once your grandfather's."

He brings me back to Thor, and Thor takes me to my chambers.

"How did it go?" Thor asks on the way.

"It was quite brief. This has all gone much faster than I expected," I answer.

"Would you like some time to think it over?"

I shrug. "I suppose."

He pats my back, causing me to cringe. "Alright. I give you to tomorrow. We have much to do then. We'll be helping you with controlling your powers. There is, however," he pauses, "one thing that you should know."

I look up at him. "What is that?"

He looks ahead. "Loki will be there. I'm letting you know, so you can prepare yourself mentally. Loki will likely act a bit different here than on Midgard."

I nod. "M'kay," I respond.

We walk in silence from then on until we reach my chambers.

"This is where we say goodbye," he tells me.

"Until tomorrow."

He is about to leave, but he stops and looks at the ground, listening. Loki appears. Thor looks up at him. He says nothing as Loki approaches us.

"Hello, brother," Loki greets Thor.

Thor nods his head. "What brings you here, Loki?"

He smiles. "I came because I heard mortals had been brought to Asgard. I didn't know you would actually do it."

"The only complete mortal in Asgard is Jared," Thor answers. "Elise is one of us. She is entitled to be here."

Loki waves his index finger at Thor. "One of _you_. I am not one of you and henceforth not one of any of you."

"Brother, in Asgard we have a truce to be family, not enemies. Remember that truce," Thor advises. "I must return to my duties. I take my leave. Farewell, you two, I shall see you in the morning, Elise. We have much to do."

We watch Thor leave. Loki turns to me. "In reality, I am not surprised to see you here. With Thor being so occupied, you'd be sure that he wouldn't have time for Jared and you. I believe that I would be a much better mentor for you than he and the man-beast you know as Bruce Banner."

I walk inside and glance behind to see Loki following me. "What do you want with me, really?" I ask.

"Have I not already made that clear?" he replies with a grin.

"I first thought you only wanted me as a weapon. It then became that you were training me to be your partner-in-crime. Now, since you, you know, kissed me, it's a little different. Part of me believes that you've got a thing for me, but part of me believes it is just a trick to make me want to be with you." I sit on the counter as I say the last sentence.

His eyes avert to another direction before returning to me. He places his hands on either side of me and smiles mischievously like he usually does. "Now what makes you think that?"

I smirk in return. "Now that is the Loki that I know. You're always so borderline crazy. And the best part about it," I lean forward and whisper, "is that you don't even know you're doing it. You don't know when you make a mistake."

His right hand rests on my shoulder. "You have learned well, Elise. Why, you're becoming me in character."

I look at his hand, then the other, and then back at his eyes. "What if I'm tricking you right now?"

He pushes my hair behind my ear. "Then I have been tricked."

"Your behaviour is so erratic. You go from threatening to flirting in a heartbeat. Is this your conscience besting you?"

"Oh, Elise, I don't flirt. I threaten, but no, I don't flirt."

I wrap my arms lightly around Loki's neck to show him what he is doing. "Don't act coy. I know what you want."

He leans in, but I swing around him. He turns his head to see me taunting him with my eyes. "I see how it is. You think this is a game," he says.

I back up a little and circle him. "You do too, in case you've forgotten, so why not make it a game for now? I know that there isn't much for me to do tomorrow. We return to Stark Tower tomorrow night, and you'll be an enemy again. It's up to you. Make your move, trickster."

Loki turns his head to the side. "Is that an offer of submission?"

I turn cold and imitate him. "You have learned well, Loki." I walk to the window and look up at the sky. "I don't even know what I'm doing. Thor is right; you're making me go mad. You are causing me to malfunction," I say partially to Loki and partially to myself.

I don't hear Loki move. I continue to stand and gaze out the window. I feel the blood running through my veins. Some of it has become cold and I move a little to try to warm me up.

"For what reason are you feeling like you are?" Loki asks. I realize he is now standing behind me and has placed his hands on my shoulders.

"You. You are the one that has messed up my character. I know you aren't a good person, but when you're here, all of it just vanishes. I don't understand why."

He wraps his arms around me in an embrace. "It is because you are fighting on the wrong side of the war. It wouldn't be as hard for you if we were on the same side."

I unwillingly reach my hands up and touch his. I notice that I've done this and sigh quietly. Loki begins talking again.

"This, all of this, and the realm of humanity, can be ours if you and I fought for the same reasons."

"Then why can't you be on our side of the war? You don't have to change. You would prove yourself worthy of ruling."

"There is a change. I would not be the same person. I was not made for good," he murmurs. I look at our hands, which are a very faint blue. I blink, and the blue fades away. "I am some kind of monster."

"No, you aren't, Loki. You're the god of mischief. It's in your nature."

He smiles lightly. A wolf's howl echoes through Asgard. Loki then looks at the door. "I must go," he says. He lets go of me and starts to leave.

"Wait," I stop him. "There are wolves in Asgard?"

He folds his hands. "There are some things that you don't know." He starts to leave again, but he stops and comes back to me, kisses me, and finally disappears out the door. I am left standing in the middle of the room. I lie down in bed, dizzy, and close my eyes to wait for sleep to find me.

* * *

"Awaken, Elise," I hear Jared's voice say.

I open my eyes. "What time is it?"

"Just past sunrise. Come, we have much to do." Jared walks outside while I put on one of the shirt-and-pants outfits and join him.

"Ready," I tell him.

"Have do you the bracelet?" he asks.

I return inside and put in on my left wrist. I go back outside. "Are we ready to go now?"

Jared nods. "Indeed we are."

I follow Jared to Thor in a large meadow-like area. Thor turns and smiles at us.

"Good," he says. "We shall begin now. Loki will arrive soon."

Jared raises a hand up a little. "Was Loki that man in the weird hair and green, black and gold outfit?"

Thor nods.

"He's such an odd bloke. Have you met him before, Elise?" Jared adds.

"Yeah, but he never said much to me. He keeps his distance," I answer.

Thor gives me a funny look, but Jared believes me.

"Elise, how well can you shoot an arrow?" Thor asks me.

"Graciously. Which cornea of Loki did you want me to send an arrow into?"

"Would you be able to shoot an arrow with an arrow?"

I laugh. "Hunter was fine until he took an arrow to the arrow because of Clint. He can't shoot straight anymore."

Jared snickers.

I see Loki off in the distance. Flashback, but I don't know what of. I still see fine, but I hear things.

I hear Vanessa. _He's taking advantage of you, in more ways than one._

I hear the impact of what it sounds like to stab a table with a knife.

Loki is next. _No. I cannot believe that I am doing this._

"You can stop yourself, right?" I say as I hear it in my mind. Thor and Jared give me weird looks. I feel pressure on me. "Loki, you could hurt me."

_I already have._

My legs buckle under me, but someone catches me before I hit the ground.

It's Loki. He lifts me up slowly, whispering as he does so. "Stay calm, Elise. Stay calm. Not now. You aren't ready for this."

Thor comes over to us as I bury my face in Loki's chest and cry.

"What has happened?" Thor demands.

Loki wraps an arm around my back. "Don't you know?"

Thor doesn't respond.

"She is something of Asgardian legend, a tracer. If she becomes too stressed out, she may become a danger to all of us. Nothing will be able to stop her because she will be able to match it. This is why they don't want her in battle. I can control it."

Thor scoffs. "It appears that you cannot."

"The blue is not something that I cannot control. Don't you see Elise's skin turning blue as well? Now, watch. It is normal again."

"I thought tracers had gone extinct," Thor replies.

"A tracer is not a race, brother, but a mindset. It is when mental dexterity overpowers physical and the two become one. This is what happens when a soul becomes abandoned. Only in whom they find solace is who can control them. Elise is especially powerful because of her past."

"Loki, brother, leave Elise alone," Thor requests politely.

Jared tries to say something, but he can't work it and just stutters. Loki ignores him.

"I'm bringing her back to Stark Tower. She does not have the capacity to continue to take in Asgard any longer."

Thor begins to protest, but sees the reality in what Loki had said. "Very well, Loki. Jared and I will join you soon, Elise."

Loki lifts me off of the ground and carries me for a while.

"You aren't actually taking me back to Stark Tower, are you?" I ask.

"This time I am. I'll run away with you another day," Loki replies.

I keep my eyes closed until Loki speaks again. "I have to set you down now. We're almost there."

We walk quietly until we reach the room that I had arrived in. The woman that was Frigga. She stops us.

"Elise," she whispers, "are you aware of Loki's intentions?"

I nod.

"Be careful, for he is unpredictable and you know very little about him. There is something you should know about him..."

Loki interrupts her. "Mother, you are rambling."

Frigga shakes her head. "Indeed I am. I apologise. Have a safe trip. I wish to see you again soon."

Loki smiles and brings me to an elevated area like on the roof of Stark Tower. He closes his eyes and tells me to do the same. I listen and he pulls me close to him. I feel the same sensation as the first trip. Light envelopes us.

* * *

~Dmitri

I look to Bruce after Elise leaves with Thor. "There goes my lab day. What do you have to say for yourself?" I say to Bruce.

"You can have a Science Bros lab day with Tony and myself," he replies. "Floor ninety-eight."

I follow Bruce without another word to the laboratory on floor 98. Tony sees us. "Hey, Brucie, where's Bruce Jr.?"

"Asgard with Thor and Jared," he answers. "What'd you have for Tony Jr. to do?"

"Smart-ass," Tony remarks, "but yes, two things. Did you want to work on the Extremis Virus effects or your buddy's anxiety disorder? Bruce and I are working on ours."

"What is there to know?" I ask. "I already know she has PTSD. There can't be anything else that I need to know, is there?"

"You can learn about the effects it has on her. For instance: JARVIS, what is the average number of hours Elise has slept per night during the last month?" Tony explains.

« On the nights she has fallen asleep, the answer would be approximately four to seven hours. The best average is 5.313145 hours per night in which she has fallen asleep. »

"Add in the hours she isn't asleep."

« Two and seven tenths hours, sir. »

"And what is the percentage of hours she is asleep that are nightmares?"

« This statistic is impossible to calculate, Mr. Stark. »

"Estimate."

« I would say around twenty-three percent. »

"Thanks, JARVIS." He turns to me. "See, Dmitri? This has an impact on her life. Do you want to know anything else?"

I think for a bit. "What about her flashbacks; panic attacks, both kinds; trust issues; and claustrophobia?"

Tony puts a hand on his hip. "Don't get too ahead of yourself."

I wave him off. "JARVIS, what are Elise's nightmares about?"

« The main one is a wolf that murdered her father, but not her. There was also a man that tried to take her away. Mr. Laufeyson tries to comfort Elise whenever she has the nightmares. »

"Mr. Laufeyson?" I ask.

« I am not allowed to discuss this with anyone. I promised Elise. »

"JARVIS," Tony says, "why can't you tell us?"

« I'm sorry. What are you talking about? »

Tony slaps his forehead. "Anyways, so we have to find the Alliance of War Technologies' headquarters. Would you like to join us?"

"Weren't you just doing something?" I reply.

"We like to do warm-ups. Blueberries?" Tony holds out a little fruit snack bag of blueberries. "You can have the whole thing. I have plenty more."

I take the bag of blueberries. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Did you know that berries help you retain your memory and therefore make you smarter? If you ate enough berries, you might become as smart as I am one day."

"I already knew that. Elise and I graduated a year early, with Darren and Vanessa. Elise loves berries," I tell him. "And I am already a damn genius."

Tony holds up his hands. "Look out, we've got a badass over here!"

"Yes, we do, Tony. Now shut up and tell me what I'm supposed to be doing," I retort.

He purses his lips and shakes his head. He tries to talk without opening his mouth.

_JARVIS, get Pepper. _

« She is on her way now, Miss Markov. »

Tony looks around. "JARVIS, who's on their way?"

« Miss Potts, sir. »

"Aw naw, JARVIS, she stays where she is, and second-"

I interrupt Tony. "Miss Potts is a Tony-only thing, JARVIS."

« I apologize. I shall call her Pepper Potts. »

"That's right, JARVIS. Pepper Potts, or just Pepper. I prefer you just call her Pepper," Tony answers. "So, back to science. Dmitri, where did you go to college again?"

"Elise and I went to Stanford. They said Elise could have graduated early, but she didn't want to."

"What are your IQ scores?"

"When I was tested, they said I was brilliant but violent. My last IQ score was 199, I believe." I think for a moment. "Elise's IQ score is totally crazy. Her IQ score was estimated to be over 250. She told me it was like that because of the way her answers bent reality, but were still possible."

Bruce and Tony stared at me for a moment. "You're joking, right?" Tony asks.

Clint suddenly appears. "She isn't kidding around, Stark. Did you read her file?"

"Hey, Birdinja, stay on the ground," Tony retorts.

Clint shakes his head and hands Tony a file. Hunter appears from the elevator.

"Alright, why is your birch here, too?" I add. Hunter looks confused. I lean towards him and say, "How does it feel to be a bird's bitch?"

Tony laughs as he opens the file. His smile fades as Bruce joins him in looking at the file.

"This one," Bruce says, "isn't the same as the one I was given."

Clint crosses his arms. "I got it from the helicarrier before we all made a mad dash for here. It has things we aren't supposed to know."

Bruce raises an eyebrow. "I thought you were with me when we did that?"

"You kicked me out, remember?"

"That's right..."

"Exactly. I decided that I would do something worth your while, so I grabbed it on the way out. They won't miss it, 'cause they have more," Clint answers.

Tony reads some of the things out loud. "Has a form of realistic clairvoyance and can see the future in some of her nightmares. Second only to Hunter in marksmanship. Can use both bows and guns. Stealthiest of the group of seven. Can easily infiltrate an area. Experienced in self-defense. Brilliant in all subjects of knowledge, but is extraordinary in biotechnology and chemistry, specifically gamma radiation. Most of her extensive knowledge of gamma radiation are only theories, of which some are likely false. She calls it 'radiation philosophy.'"

There's a long silence before Bruce says something. "Very little of that was in the file that I received."

Tony puts a hand up. "There's more."

There's another long silence before Tony rips up the paper and manages to set it on fire.

"What the hell was that for?" I demand.

Tony looks at me with wide eyes. "She's an alien," he finally announces.

No one says anything until Tony sighs and says, "Okay, she's only a quarter alien. And alien as in from wherever Thor came from."

Clint face palms. "That's basically why I had to give you the file."

"Because you wanted a reason for getting a black eye from Elise punching you in the face? Sounds good to me," Tony responds.

Clint rolls his eyes. "Didn't you want me to take Dmitri with Hunter and me to the shooting range?"

Tony smiles. "Oh, yeah, I did. Thanks for reminding me. Dmitri, you heard him. Get going."

"I thought we were going to do science?" I protest.

Tony shakes his head. "Maybe some other time. You have work to do."

Tony and Bruce walk to the other side of the lab. Hunter looks at me. "You've been having a lot of plans cancelled today, haven't you?" he asks.

I punch him in the shoulder. "Shut up, midget."

Clint pulls Hunter back. "Dmitri, leave him alone. Come on now, Agent Clemencyn is waiting for us at the shooting range."

I follow them to the elevator. "What are we even going to do there?" I complain. "The sun has set. We won't be able to see."

Clint smirks. "There are lights."

"But-"

"Stop arguing with me. We've already decided to go, so you can't do anything about it," Clint demands.

"Why doesn't Tony take me to these activities?"

Clint hesitates. "He's getting to the age where he shouldn't be doing these things. Don't you remember that Tony spent all of his time in Los Angeles at the headquarters?"

"There wasn't much else to do."

"When everyone was out, Tony stayed behind. He can't be Iron Man for forever, Dmitri."

"So that's why I signed that..."

"Signed what?" Hunter jumps into the conversation.

"Nothing important. I don't really remember." But I did. I remember signing us all away to S.H.I.E.L.D., but Hunter doesn't need to know that, not yet.

"That's enough chitchat," Clint interrupts. "Let's hurry up."

* * *

~Hunter

Clint hands me a high-power rifle. I stare at it for a moment. "Um, I don't think-"

"Just try it," Clint tells me.

I sigh and aim, pulling the trigger. The next thing I know is that I'm lying on the floor with the gun at my side. Dmitri is laughing hysterically.

"Did I hit the target?" I ask.

Clint helps me up. "No."

"Could we try a bow now?"

Clint hands me a compound bow. I take aim and hit the target easily. I trade it in for a crossbow and quickly shoot multiple targets at different distances. By now Dmitri has stopped laughing at me.

"The only one with a worse aim than Hunter with a gun is Jared, but both are good archers. Hunter is twenty times better, though," Dmitri says.

"I noticed," Clint replies. "I think we'll keep you on bows, Hunter. Dmitri, you have your repulsor beams. Go back to shooting clay pigeons with Clemencyn."

I see someone moving around outside. "Is that?" I look closer.

"What?" Clint asks.

"It's Vanessa and Darren."

"Do you think that you could follow them?"

"I can try. I'll take the crossbow with in case I need it."

* * *

~Jared

Thor and I watch Loki walk away with Elise. Thor sighs and turns to me.

"Grab your sword," he instructs. "We begin practice now."

"I- I don't know. Sword fighting may have to wait until later. I cannot concentrate enough. What's going on between Loki and Elise?" I ask.

"Loki must know something I do not." Thor gestures for me to follow him. "Come with me."

I follow Thor in silence until we find a man wearing gold armour. He is introduced to me as Heimdall.

"Thor and Jared Alexander Knightson, I know what you come here in search of," Heimdall tells us.

"Can you tell us the answer?" I respond.

Heimdall begins walking away. "The answer your seek is not one easily explained. You must follow me, for it is time you both learned something that has long been lost."

Heimdall leads us to the Grand Hall and down a dark hallway. He opens the door and reveals a room with a rectangular block in the middle of the room and sand-coloured cloth hanging in various places.

"This is where special Asgardian resurrection rituals are held, if there is ever one needed," Heimdall explains. "This way."

He leads us through one of the cloth curtains and down another hall. The next door opens up to a circular room with a high ceiling. There are various paintings and writings on the wall and ceiling.

"The lost prophecies known as Ragnarokasenna are a variety of prophecies that include the alternate beginnings and endings to the inevitable Ragnarok," Heimdall begins. "They tell of a descendent of the god of misfortune and their relationship with the god of mischief, Loki. It begins as whatever the descendent is, a boy or girl. If it is a boy, he and Loki would begin Ragnarok as it says in today's legend. Loki and the boy will win and take control of all of Asgard and anywhere else because of the boy's power. The god of misfortune once had power that rivaled Odin's power, but he had allowed Odin to remove this power from him in order to avoid destruction. This power, however, could be passed down. Luckily, it would no longer be like Odin's under normal circumstances."

I feel the paintings on the wall. "What if that descendent was a woman? And what would the circumstances be for that power to rival Odin's?" I inquire.

Heimdall turns to one of the paintings on the wall opposite of the one with the male descendent. "The goddess of decision, destiny, and consciousness," he murmurs as he gestures to a specific painting on the wall with a woman in a green dress and a crown similar to Loki's helmet. She is also covered in a golden armour and has long, almost black hair. Upon closer inspection, I see that she has green eyes.

I frown. "She looks a lot like Loki, but Elise doesn't. How can they be the same person?"

"Jared is correct, Heimdall. Why is Loki interested in Elise if she is not the right one?" Thor says.

Heimdall moves from the painting, and I take a step back from it. I see that the entire painting is a large circle, as are the other paintings. The male descendent painting has an eagle in the centre, but the female has two snakes. The painting on the ceiling has a crow or raven in the middle of the circle.

"The woman you call Elise is a tracer. Tracers were once known for their talent of copying the special abilities of others. This can occasionally come with the side effects of tracing physical attributes as well. The god of misfortune, Olin, was one of the greatest tracers to ever live, but he was the last known one. All others ones have since died, but many of them can be found in Valhalla. Thor knows of the tracers, and as a child, he knew Olin, as did Loki. The last tracer that died years ago was Olin's eldest son, Frey. It appears that your Elise is one as well. Her name means God is my oath, or consecrated to God. Now the god that you may be thinking of, Knightson, is not the one she is consecrated to. Her name, Elise, is also similar to et lys, which is Norwegian for a light. As it says in the prophecy, Elise's name is Lys. True to her name, Lys is truly the light of Asgard. However, there is a darker side to her, the one Loki is after, Slange-Lys, or Snake Light. Slange-Lys can also be known as Corrupt Destiny, or Skadet Skjebne. Slange-Lys is capable of both destroying and creating universes. In the prophecy, Loki attempts to harness her power so he can become the ruler of all nine worlds. Slange-Lys, however, revolts and uses Loki's helmet to create rifts in the universe, ripping it apart."

I look at Heimdall. "How is that possible? There's nothing special about his helmet."

"In your world of science, Loki's helmet is made of what is called gold, or septennium. She creates a new element out of it, which is, as they will call it, Ragnarokium, hexbiquadunium, or eka-gold one. An element of this size distorts the quarks of the subatomic particles, and will release a large amount of energy until it eventually decays into the now stable eka-gold two, or tripentunium, in a process known as the Golden Effect. This energy does stay within the element for years before it is completely released in amounts that won't tear apart the fabric of space. Slange-Lys can control this energy to break apart the current universe and create a new one. The rest of Ragnarok remains as it does in the current prophecy."

Thor touches part of the wall. "This child looks like Loki. Is this a symbol of renewal?"

Heimdall walks to the centre of the room. "No. That is the Child of Unity. He is one of the reasons Ragnarok begins. Loki attempts to save the child from Slange-Lys. He releases Fenris in order to stop her from total annihilation of the universe, but Fenris does not listen to him this time. The Child of Unity ties the boundaries between good and bad. Hela places a curse on the child, which causes him to become a vicious and bloodthirsty animal upon seeing the full moon and from other triggers."

"Like a werewolf?" I ask.

"Very similar, but he does not change his shape. I used animal as a metaphor for how he will act. There is not much else about him, but it is said that the curse can be lifted."

Thor scowls. "How did Loki learn of this in the first place?"

"He stumbled upon this room when he was younger and Olin still used it. Loki tried to ask Olin about it, but he told him nothing. He came across Frey eventually, and threatened to kill him if he didn't tell him about it. Frey did, and Loki tried to bargain with him. Loki believed that Frey was the male descendent, but Frey denied all of Loki's offers. Loki ended up killing Frey regardless, which sent the rest of the family into turmoil because Olin refused to tell Astrid and Leif how their brother had died. Loki had followed Astrid for a while, but discarded the idea of her being that descendent when she showed no sign of being a tracer. She could also not have children, meaning that there would be no descendents with her. He found Leif a few years later. He had been fatally injured, but Loki bargained with him. He would save his life if Leif had a child. He eventually agreed to it, and Lys was born. Loki spent more time with Lys than Leif did. Lys' mother, Crystal, did not know of Loki as an adult, because Loki would turn into a child once Lys was old enough. They became best friends, and Lys knew that Loki was an adult. She did not know his name, but rather called him Lo," Heimdall muses. "Now, do you have any other questions?"

A million questions fly through my mind, but I cannot pick one out. One eventually does become words in my mouth. "Elise told me that you and Loki kill each other in Ragnarok. Is this still true?"

"I do not know. I do, however, know that I will fight until my last breath regardless." Heimdall begins to walk away. "You should return to Midgard. Something is about to happen, and you must be there to help."

I look to Thor. "Shall we go then?"

He follows after Heimdall without another word. I run after them.

* * *

~Vanessa

"Let's get this meeting started," Mr. Hammer begins. "Laufeyson can show up whenever. Talbot, you have something to say?"

Talbot the Second stands out of his chair and walks to the front of the table. "Our targets," he says, aiming a laser pointer at the presentation on the projector screen, "are these people." The screen changes from a picture of the Avengers and our "friends" to Hunter. "Hunter, the smallest and most cowardly of the group. He can currently run up to speeds of eighty miles an hour. His skin is also very tough, but not completely unbreakable. He is likely the weakest of them all."

"Should you be able to capture him," Darren chimes in.

Talbot nods. He then changes to Dmitri. "Stark's female counterpart. Dmitria has the ability to manipulate technology. What this includes is not completely understood. An old friend of hers, Agent Richard Clemencyn, has the power to control physics. He can be useful for us. The boy, Jared," he goes to a picture of him, "is similar to Dmitria, but with the power to control all metals."

Loki suddenly walks in and sees Jared on screen. "Are you planning to kill any of these people?" he asks nonchalantly. I bite my lip as I see Loki flash me a smile.

Talbot rolls his eyes. "Possibly. Take a seat, Laufeyson."

"Thank you, Nathan. I may call you Nathan, correct?"

"Whatever," he sighs. Talbot then switches to Elise. Loki cringes at the sight of Elise's mangled body from when she first arrived at the helicarrier. "The main priority: Elise Lyra Iridium. All efforts to ensure her capture have ended in failure. Mr. Laufeyson was the last to work on getting her into our custody." Talbot changes the picture to a more recent one. "We have a plan to get her. Vanessa, Darren, you two must find a way back into the trust of Stark Tower."

Loki stands up. "Nathan Mondeson, you know Elise trusts me more than them. Let me bring her back here to you."

I burn with jealousy to hear Loki talk about Elise. Talbot shakes his head. "Loki, remember your place. You have been removed from this plan because you have been compromised by emotions."

Loki seethes with rage. "You watch me, Mondeson. I'll be the one to bring her here. I'll turn her against her friends. I'll make sure of it. I'll break her in so many ways that you wish she wasn't so easy to control." Loki storms out of the room.

Talbot mutters something and finishes his speech. Everyone but him, Justin Hammer and myself leave.

"Sir, Darren is of no value to us. We should get rid of him," I suggest.

Justin turns to me. "Vanessa, honey, in time, in time."

I sigh and go find Loki in his quarters. "Loki?"

He looks up at me with bloodshot eyes. "What do you want?"

I close the door behind. "Did you mean everything that you said?"

He grits his teeth in what appears to be pain. "I would have said more, but no one needs to know what it was."

I place a warm hand on his cheek. "You can tell me," I coo.

He glares at me and turns away. "No. It will frighten you."

I get closer to him. "Oh, Loki, sweetie, just tell me everything on your mind."

He gouges scratches into the wall from his fingers. "If you insist. I," he hesitates, "I _own_ Elise. Nobody can tell me otherwise."

Loki must be losing his mind, but then again, he already has. "Please continue," was my only answer.

He looks back at me, a longing for Elise filling his eyes. I feel pity for his soul. He's being taken advantage of by someone just like him.

"I am going to break her emotionally and physically," he affirms to himself.

"But then she won't be of use to the AWT."

"Oh, but you don't know the half of it. I will break her heart. I will make her feel powerless to me and then I will leave her again. I shall, of course, return for her eventually. I will make her unable to forget about me or even to leave me."

"You aren't going to sleep with her, right?" I shouldn't have said that.

He grins sadistically. "You mortals always think of that, don't you?" Loki pulls out his knife and caresses the blade with a finger. "If that is what I need to do in order to break her, then continuing my toying with her is what I will do, no matter what anyone says. Thor himself will never be able to protect poor Elise from her fate."

I guess Loki really is totally batshit crazy.

* * *

~Elise

Dmitri and I are back from wherever we had been and can work on science together again. We are currently working on the Extremis Virus again for my birthday present.

"So Bruce really did modify the Virus perfectly to give us specific powers, huh?" I ask Dmitri.

"Almost," she replies. "Vanessa's malfunctioned and she ended up with fire."

"Oh, yeah. What was hers supposed to be anyways?"

"Hmm..." Dmitri thinks for a while. "I'll go ask."

She walks away, leaving me alone. So Dmitri's power was made so she could compromise the Iron Man suits and control JARVIS. Jared's isn't completely developed yet, and neither was Darren's the last time we met. Jared is supposed to be able to manipulate electrons, controlling lightning and other things, but so far it is only metal and soil compounds. Darren should be able to manipulate things on a molecular level, so he could disassemble Steve's shield. He surprisingly can control biological matter, though. Hunter can move fast enough to dodge Clint's arrows and be tough enough to withstand being shot. I supposedly have the strength that rivals that of the Hulk, but we don't want to test that.

A scream snaps me out of my thoughts. It hear Dmitri shouting and something getting hit. I rush over to her to see her beating Loki with a broom. Loki is lying on the ground and curled up, begging her to stop.

"Dmitri, stop it!"

She looks at me. "Why?"

"That is Loki..." I stop before I begin to explain to her. JARVIS must be telling her everything right now.

"Are you okay?" I ask Loki.

"The only thing bruised is my dignity."

Dmitri suddenly comes out of her mind discussion with JARVIS and returns to beat Loki with the broom.

"Don't! You! Dare! Touch! Her! Again!" Dmitri threatens as she hits him.

"Stop! I have to say something important!" Loki pleads.

I grab the broom and toss it away. "Stop!"

Dmitri looks at me innocently. "Woops, thought it was a snake."

"You aren't even afraid of snakes, you dink," I reply.

Loki stands up. "I have urgent news."

"What is it?" I ask him.

"Your companion, Hunter, has been taken hostage by the Alliance of War Technologies. He needs you to rescue him."

Dmitri looks startled. "Call the team together, JARVIS. Our first mission is here."

"What team, really? I want to know what's going on," I demand.

"It's a long story," she answers. _But I suppose you should know._


	12. Chapter 11

~Dmitri (Flashback to Helicarrier)

I pause. "I'll meet you there with the others. I have to do something first." I run off.

I run down the hall to my friends, but a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent is waiting for me as I pass by. She suddenly blindfolds and handcuffs me from behind. She somehow knocks me out.

Kidnapped. That's basically what happened to us. We were kidnapped. The agent removes the blindfold.

I look around at the sickeningly white walls around me, a metal door secured nicely so that leaving isn't an option for me, and a whole wall or mirror covering the side I'm facing. I don't know for sure where I am, all I know is that I'm here sitting on this cold bench in my own separate waiting room with cuffs on, and my friends are probably in the same position.

Except for Elise. She's on her way to Stark Tower without any of us.

Because Clint and "Black Widow" are complete assholes. Hell, I don't even know why that stupid brood even tried to keep her identity a secret considering I know who she is. Everyone who owns a goddamn television or lives in New York City knows who she is.

But that's what makes it more sickening. I know who she is, I know who's running this whole charade, and I know that these people work for the good of humanity, which mean we must've really screwed up somehow.

How? That's the golden question. To be honest, I don't want to be here. I don't care what we've done or what's going on, I just want to grab my friends and go back to "home sweet (safe) home."

Suddenly the door opens, and all I can do at the moment is slowly glare at the woman who entered. From the expression on her face when she looked at me and the way her hand is readily placed on her gun holster, she doesn't seem to want me to be here, either.

"The Director would like to see you," she says.

I stay, but she turns and takes a few steps out, faces me again while holding the door open.

"We haven't got all day, let's go," she demands.

"Who _are_ you?" I ask, mentally scolding myself about how my voice cracked mid-sentence.

"It doesn't matter," She barks coldly. "C'mon."

"I just want to know, geez," I say as I get out and leave, following the woman down the hall.

"So...?"

"Don't speak." She states blankly.

I shut my mouth, deciding to gaze through all the rooms we pass along the way instead. This is obviously some sort of facility, considering there's laboratories and storage rooms. We even pass a strange room with a cylinder glass dome inside. I look at this woman, specifically at her hand, which is at the same place as it was before. I look closer at the holster, and it doesn't seem to be carrying a gun. It's carrying...

...a tazer?

Of all the times I could be remembering funny tazer videos, now was the wrong time to do it. The moment I begin giggling the woman shoots me a glare over her shoulder, which in my opinion is the best way to shut someone up.

After another turn we stop in front of a door.

"The Director's in here."

She takes a small device and swipes it over the cuffs, releasing my hands as they open. She grabs them off and then opens the door. I rub my chaffed wrists as she shoves me inside. I notice right away the man standing behind the far end of the large table inside. Everything about him was dark, from his skin to his clothes, glare, and his attitude. It's Nick Fury again.

"Here she is, Sir," the woman tells him.

"Thank you, Agent Hill," Fury replies.

"Agent Hill" closes the door behind me, the sound of her locking the door audible. So now I'm alone with him, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Come take a seat." Nick Fury says, gesturing to the seat next to him.

I walk forward, mentally preparing for what's ahead, telling myself that he's just going to lie and blackmail and probably even threaten me to get what he wants. I sit down, and we both spend a few seconds glaring at each other before he finally speaks.

"You and your friends have become quite a problem lately. Trespassing on S.H.I.E.L.D. grounds, attacking our agents. You're all quite the troublemakers, if you ask me," Fury begins.

He takes some files out and tosses them onto the table in front of me. Each file has each of our names stamped onto the front in red, with our pictures paper-clipped on them as well.

"What do you want from us?" I ask, trying to sound firm.

"What do _I_ want from _you_? No, the question is, what do _you_ want from _me_? You and your buddies came across there looking for something, and I want to know what you're after," he answers.

"We weren't after anything. It was all an accident. Look, I just want to settle this quickly so my friends and I can go home and-"

"Go home? Oh no, you're not leaving. I don't think so."

My heart drops and I quickly lose my stern façade, showing almost every ounce of fear I have.

"Not leaving? W-what do you mean? You're just going to keep us locked up here?"

"Not quite. You see, while looking through your files I realized that you aren't just a bunch of bratty kids. No, you're a bunch of bratty kids with unique characteristics and whole lot of potential. In the right hands, you all could be some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s greatest assets. Dr. Banner wasn't lying to me."

Fury takes a single piece of paper and slides it towards me. I read the bolded fine print:

_**Avengers Replacement Initiative**_

I look up at him. "How'd you get information about all of us?"

"I have sources."

"Well, I want to see these 'sources,'" I say very threateningly.

Some dumbass isn't just going to snoop without me knowing how he did it. We both stare at each other for a split second before he brings his hand up to his headpiece.

"Send the Chief of Medical Research to the Meeting Room B."

"Chief of Medical Research?" I ask. Why would someone like that have information on all of us?

"He's also the Head S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison for the United States Marine Corps." Fury explained.

Soon there was a knock at the door.

"Come on in, son," Fury calls.

Nothing could have prepared me to see who entered the room.

"Miss Markov, this is Agent C-"

"Uh, there's no need for introduction, sir," the man replies. Fury raises an eyebrow. "If it's alright with you, I would like a word with her in private, please."

"Alright." And with that, the Director leaves me with him.

Well, I can honestly say that I didn't see this coming. Who would've known that Richard, the guy I haven't seen in forever, was working for S.H.I.E.L.D. all this time.

He makes sure Fury's gone and turns to me, voice calm and patient. "Look, I know you're mad..."

"Mad?" I choke. "Mad!? I'm not mad, I'm goddamn furious! I can't even... I-I just... you- you dick!"

"Dmitri, calm down."

"How can I calm down when I just learned that my friend sold out my other friends and me to a defense agency!?"

"But-"

"Now we're never going to be able to leave without having them breathe down our necks, because apparently we're 'special assets' now! They expect me to sign everyone over to them! What is this, prostitution!?" My breathing is heavy and I'm so angry that I'm practically choking on oxygen. This is probably the closest I've been to a panic attack. "We're never going to be able to go home!"

"There was no way you were going to be able to leave anyway, you dumbass!" He snaps. It was a great way to shut me up. He takes a deep breath and calms down. "Listen, you guys walked onto a secret facility, which means there's a high chance that one of you saw something that wasn't meant to be seen. There is no way that you are going to be released."

I let what he said sink in for a few seconds, and was quickly going from angry to depressed.

"Touché, you bastard. You've won this one."

Richard scowls. "Send Director Fury back in."

There's a long silence before Nick Fury comes back. Richard goes to the other side of the room.

"Miss Markov," Fury greets me after he had reentered the room. "I believe that this will be the last time we see each other for a while. Have you made your decision?"

I hesitate. "Yes, but what is in it for us again?"

"Safety. You are all targets because of what you've done. Working for us will allow you to live in safety."

"Where are the papers?"

"Calm down. We will be sending an agent with you in case you decide otherwise. And you've already met him. I have nothing else to say. Agent Clemencyn will explain the rest."

Richard walks up to Fury. "I forgot something. May I speak with her alone again?"

"Is that so? I guess I'll leave you two to discuss your situation. I won't be returning. You'll have to come to me when you're finished." Fury leaves again.

Richard Clemencyn stands in front of me. "I thought I wasn't going to see you again, Dmitria."

"Well, Dick, I believe that you've found your perfect career," I reply.

"And you are still the same sarcastic cripple that you have always been," Richard retorts.

"But I'm sure you are still less of a man than Hunter is."

"Is that a reference to my-"

"Dick, shut up."

"Can we stop arguing about your sarcasm and my manhood? We have a serious problem to discuss."

"Fine. What did you forget, Dick?"

"Can't you just call me Richard for once?" his voice cracks upon him saying Richard.

There was his weakness. Richard's little weakness is in his damn name.

"What is it, _Richard_? Spill the beans," I say.

"You never _will_ be able to go home. It's a S.H.I.E.L.D. crime scene now. They will remove anything they need and leave someone to bring you the rest. You are moving to the Avengers Tower."

"What happens if I don't sign the contract?"

"Let's just say that you will remain a S.H.I.E.L.D. prisoner and not a free person. Elise will probably die. If not, Loki will take her."

"Loki?" That name sounds like it came from Thor.

"You don't know?" Richard pauses. "Well, if you don't know, then I can't tell you. Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff have worked hard to keep Elise here. The Avengers Replacement Initiative will only make you and your friends a team like the Avengers themselves."

"What will it be called?"

"You are the Unique Network Intelligence Variant Expert Repercussions Superhuman Elites. I still think it needs some work."

"Superhuman?"

"This I _can_ tell you. Your best friend, Elise, has many secrets. Her secrets have lies to hide the lies of her secrets. Her truth is a lie. She herself doesn't even know the truth. The lies are the truth in a blender. The-"

"Shut up and tell me already."

"Her grandfather is from Asgard."

"Like, the Thor kind of Asgard?"

"Exactly. Her grandfather knew Thor. This is why S.H.I.E.L.D. is so interested in her. And all that radiation... She is just one in a googolplex."

"What does that mean?"

"Did you know that she's tried to kill herself? And more than once, too. Did you know that she doesn't think that she's going to live much longer?"

"How do you know all of this? And stop changing the subject!"

"I was there. I was at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base in Pennsylvania. I saw what they were doing to her. I've been on security duty at night and heard her screaming out for you in her sleep. She has terrible nightmares. One time Clint went into Elise's cell to check on her. The whole base was put on lockdown until Natasha showed up with a sedative. The only reason she isn't terrified of him anymore is because of Hunter."

"Why Hunter?"

"Because Hunter is the one who doesn't understand why she can't trust people. He wants to help her. Jared doesn't understand Elise at all. Darren only wants to keep his distance because he thinks that Elise is a killer. Vanessa is jealous of the attention she gets, and you... you..."

"What about me?"

"You only like her because she's a science experiment to you. You test her every day. You aren't really her friend."

I snap. I point a finger at him. "You listen carefully, Dick. Elise is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. She knows when something's wrong and asks me. She's been through a ton of shit and doesn't mind sitting through one of my rants about my lesser shit. We're just like the Science Bros. Without Elise, I would be working some lowlife job and doing lowlife things. Elise keeps me striving to be the best friend that you will never have, Richard. I will sign this for her, not me."

Richard smiles and hands me the contract. "That's the Dmitri I used to know. The one that puts her friends before herself."

I sign the contract and give it back to Richard. "Can I go see Elise now?"

Richard frowns. "Not yet. We have to go to the Avengers Tower first. By the way, Mr. Stark will call it Stark Tower."

I follow Richard to the door. "Let's go, then."

* * *

~Elise (Present)

"So how are we going to do this?" I ask Loki.

We are a block from an AWT warehouse. Richard and Jared have come with Dmitri, Loki and myself. It's close to midnight.

"You and I can go in normally, but your friends will have to come in undercover. I shall go in first and deactivate the cameras. You enter and bring them in. Hunter is at the top floor. There will be multiple people guarding him. Are you ready?"

We all nod.

Loki smiles. "Let us begin."

Loki takes us to our starting position, making sure he can see me from a window in the warehouse. He then disappears inside.

Richard scratches his head. "This is a trap," he mutters.

Jared steps forward. "You do remember that Hunter did not return to Stark Tower from the gun range? Clint only returned with Dmitria," he points out.

I shush them. "Stay low. He should be nearly done."

Richard sighs. "How does Loki even know you, Elise? Isn't he supposed to be the bad guy?"

"It's a long story and quite convoluted. I'll explain it to my best ability later," I answer.

Dmitri snickers. Jared raises an eyebrow at her.

"Is there something we should know?" he asks.

I glare at Dmitri. She straightens up. "Not at the moment," she tells him.

I look back up at the warehouse. I soon see Loki in one of the windows.

He smiles. _Now._ I hear.

"It's time to retrieve Hunter. Let's go," I say to them.

They follow me in through the door that Loki had gone into. The two guards are lying on the ground, passed out. We step past them and come to a split in the hallway. If Loki could see me now, he could tell us where to go.

"Top floor," I repeat. "Y'know, this is an odd layout of a warehouse."

"That's because it isn't really a warehouse," I hear someone say.

I look over to see Darren standing in front of the hallway that we should be going down.

He smiles. "Didn't expect to see me, huh?"

I look into his eyes, which are purple. "Your eyes are the wrong colour, Darren. What did they give you?"

He takes a step forward. "Nothing but an ego," he replies.

"Hey," Dmitri greets him, "Darren VanDouchebag, get out of our way. We have a little man to save."

Darren tilts his head to the side. He then morphs into a white-haired woman with purple eyes. Jared, startled, slams a metal door in her face which knocks her out. The door swings closed again.

I look at him. "Great job, Jared. We can keep going now," I say.

He smiles curtly. "Oops," he murmurs.

I ignore his comment and creep along the wall to the stairs. "Up the stairs," I whisper.

I glance down the hallway on the second floor. This was where Loki had deactivated the cameras. I see him walking towards us, slipping past unconscious bodies and the occasional broken light or low-hanging and exposed wire.

"I see you've made it past the chameleon woman. Three more floors and we'll be at the top. All of the stairs are here," he tells us.

"Aren't you coming with?" I ask.

"No," he answers. "If anyone finds me here, there will be grave consequences for me and likely you all. I must go."

"Very well," I respond. I go up a few stairs before Loki calls out for us.

"Wait!" he stops us. "Your powers are not strong enough to take on others alone. I must warn you to stay cautious. Like I said earlier, there will be guards up there who are waiting for you to arrive." He leaves before I can say anything.

I sigh and keep going up the stairs. We eventually arrive at the top floor, which has an electronically locked door. I can hear Hunter pleading for someone to let him go.

Jared steps forward and focuses on the lock, but he cannot break it. He shakes his head.

I point for Dmitri to try. "You two have to work together on this one," I advise.

The two focus on the lock, and it eventually gives up, falling apart. I swing the door open and find Hunter chained. Darren is in the same position next to him. Vanessa is hushing Hunter and heating up his chains. A few guards lie unconscious on the floor.

"Vanessa!" Richard shouts. "Leave Hunter alone!"

She backs away. "I'm only trying to help."

Darren speaks up. "We've been held by the AWT since Los Angeles. Why didn't you come earlier?"

"Because you went rogue," Richard explains.

"We were _kidnapped_," Darren replies. "Please help us. We're still your friends."

Everyone buys the lie. We soon have everyone out of chains and we are on our way back to the main floor. We run down the stairs and soon stop for a moment at the bottom stairs. Dmitri turns to Hunter.

"God dammit, Hunter! You've got to go and get kidnapped on my birthday! You're smooth, Hunter, real smooth. You're smooth like sandpaper," Dmitri says sarcastically.

"But- but," he stammers.

"No buts, asshole! You can't just have gotten kidnapped tomorrow, or next week, maybe?"

"But you got to blow stuff up, right? And it isn't actually your birthday. That's in September."

"You're right about that, Birch. Touché."

Hunter starts to strut away. "Great, let's go and-" he stops both midsentence and midstride.

Guards step in front of us.

"I'm not strong enough to move people," Darren admits. "I've tried."

"We can't use any powers," I reply. "We have to use physical str-"

One of the guards grabs me and handcuffs me. I struggle against him.

"Hold still, you rat," the guard demands.

He drags me past the guards who block my friends from me. Vanessa heats up and sets some on fire, but they have fireproof suits.

"Vanessa," Darren warns, "don't get too heated. You'll die."

Vanessa nods and keeps her cool.

"Elise!" Dmitri shouts as she sees me. The guard turns and I disappear from my friend's sight.

The guard laughs to himself. "This is much easier than they told us it would be. All I have to do now is get you to the headquarters, but I think I'll have a little fun before I do. Discipline would do you a world of good."

"So, torture, that's all you've got?" I ask.

"I just won't kill you, alright ? I'll make it short and sweet."

"What are you going to do?"

"I was thinking about just beating the lights out of you, so you won't put a fight for a while," the guard answers.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I hear the voice of Loki say.

"Laufeyson, I thought you had left," the guard replies uneasily.

"I came back for what is mine. Hand Elise over to me, and I won't have to kill you," Loki commands.

"I'm sorry, but I have strict orders to not let you take the target."

Loki snaps the guard's neck and pulls me into a dark corridor by my handcuffs. I hear someone running down the hallway towards us.

"Lie down," Loki demands.

"Why?" I protest. "It might be Dmitri coming to find me or-"

Loki throws me down on the ground. I am suddenly unable to breathe. I open my eyes to see Loki sitting on top of me.

"I told you to lie down," he says.

"Can't- breathe. Loki-" I whisper.

He realises the amount of pressure he is putting on me and moves to my side. "I apologise," he responds.

It was, in fact, Dmitri that had run by. Vanessa now walks by, but I not dare call out to her.

After a while, Loki puts me on my feet. "Now," he finally says, "let us get back to Avengers Tower."

I sit up, still in chains. "And you couldn't have said that earlier? You know, maybe when Dmitri was here?"

"Where's your bracelet?" Loki changes the subject.

"In my room. Why?" I reply.

"You should have been wearing it. I wouldn't have had to come rescue you. Now the AWT will..." He looks down the hallway towards a small fire.

"Will what?" I ask.

"We have to go, now."

"Wait-"

Loki puts me on my feet and breaks the handcuffs. He grabs a chain-link that is still connected to my right wrist and pulls me along a different hallway. We arrive at the door when an explosion can be heard. Thor swings open the door and grabs Loki, pulling me along. Clint then pulls me out of Loki's grip.

"What do you think you're doing?" Clint demands.

"Saving your little sparrow from the AWT, you bastard. Calm down," I reply.

He begins pulling me to the car. The night and city suddenly morphs into a cloudy day and the S.H.I.E.L.D. base in Pennsylvania. It's another flashback. I can't hold back the panic attack that ensues.

I once again slip out of Clint's grasp, but this time I attack Thor, kicking him in the chest. He drops Loki, who lands gracefully. I cower behind the crouched Loki and wait for the enraged Avengers to strangle me into submission.

Thor and Hawkeye stare at us in astonishment. Loki looks behind himself and sees me. He then smiles and returns to looking at the two.

Gryphon approaches Clint . "Hawkeye, we have to go. The police are on the way," he announces.

Clint sighs. "Leave them. We have to get out of here. Elise, you have ten seconds to come with."

I watch them go from behind Loki. _Don't go without me! I'm just scared!_ I scream at them, unable to speak. Loki picks me up and rushes over to Thor.

"Brother," he murmurs, "Elise needs you to take her back to Stark Tower. I cannot stay." Loki continues to whisper something to Thor before handing a barely conscious me over to him.

Thor places me in the vehicle and closes the door behind him. I soon feel the vehicle drive away. Clint and Thor are whispering to each other, likely trying to make sure that I don't hear, but I do regardless.

"What happened back there?" Clint asks.

"I do not know," Thor replies. "All that Jared has told me is that they were rescuing Hunter and ended up leaving with Darren and Vanessa as well. They were being held hostage, he said."

Clint scoffs. "I wouldn't trust that. We'll have to test them. But what I really want to know," he stops and takes a deep breath, "is what the hell happened between Elise and Loki? Why was he so protective of her? If you wouldn't have been there, oh, man, I think I would've scraped his eyes out with a rusty spoon."

I tense up. So Clint hates Loki just as much as he did me. I must have reminded him of Loki.

"Jared was attempting to get an answer from Dmitri just before they were sent back to Avengers Tower. She refused to say anything, though. She said she was protecting Elise. I do know that Loki will be back for her soon, so we must be ready then."

Clint laughs quietly to himself. "Let Loki come to her. I'll be waiting when he does."

The adrenaline rush finally dies and I fall asleep.


	13. Chapter 12

« Good morning, Miss Iridium. It is the twenty-fifth of October. Today will be a low of 10 degrees Celsius and a high of 15 degrees Celsius. There is a seventy-five percent chance of precipitation in the evening. » JARVIS tells me.

I open my eyes to see the sky full of clouds. Another night of no sleep. "JARVIS?" I call.

« Yes? » he responds.

"Would you have Clint meet me in the War Room in an hour?" I ask.

« I will, Miss Iridium. »

"And then, maybe Darren?"

« Take your time to decide, Elise. Anything else? »

"Send as much information as possible on Loki to the War Room. I'll be there in a half hour."

« Yes, Miss Iridium. »

I arrive at the War Room and look at the window. "JARVIS, what do you have for me?"

« There was not much on Loki that I could find unprotected. There is a S.H.I.E.L.D. article about him trying to start a war and a fight for the Tesseract. He took control of Clint Barton's and Eric Selvig's minds with a sceptre that was given to him. The core of this sceptre mimicked the Tesseract's blue essence. There are mostly mythology-based descriptions of him. I did manage to get an unsecured file from the Alliance of War Technologies on him, which is highly unusual. They normally keep their information secret. Would you like me to read it to you? »

"Yes, please, and print an update on the Red List that includes my friends, the Avengers, and anyone in the AWT."

A document appears as the windows black out. The printer runs. I grab the paper.

« It begins with a basic description of Loki, but there is a collection of his work at the AWT. This includes him training a few of the other members. He is one of the leading members of the Alliance and also was recently removed from the ECO. Would you like me to proceed? »

"What is the ECO?"

« It stands for Elise Capture Operation. I believe they are planning on taking you hostage and turning you into a weapon of mass destruction. »

"How could they do this? I don't want to be treated like this. I have to tell someone."

"And ruin our game?" I hear Loki taunt me. I turn to the right and see Loki closing the door behind him. "You know that isn't fair."

The document vanishes, but the black over the window remains. "What are you doing here in the daytime?" I ask.

Loki pulls out a golden knife with a glowing blue sphere in the handle. It morphs into a sceptre like the one JARVIS had just described. He switches it from his left to right hand.

"JARVIS?" I panic.

« Would you like me to send a distress call? »

"No, JARVIS," Loki answers for me, "Elise and I have something to discuss."

« Very well, sir... »

Loki smiles as JARVIS falls for his trick. He lifts up the sceptre. "Now, Elise, since you won't listen to me, I have to take some drastic measures. This won't work completely, but I will fix that in time."

I back up into the table, climbing onto it, as Loki gets closer. "Loki, that is _not_ a good idea. Rethink this, _please_!"

Loki laughs at me. "Elise, are you really doing this now?" He grabs my left ankle, but I twist and attack him. I find myself pushing Loki back, and I kick the sceptre away. Loki watches it bounce away and turn back into a knife.

He pins me down to the table by my neck. "I'm doing you a favour, you damn twit! They're going to lock you in a cage! For Odin's sake, you must do as I say! I don't want to hurt you, but I don't think that I have a choice any longer!"

I fall to the floor when he releases me and retrieves the knife, turning it back into a sceptre. He holds it to my chest, and I hear the elevator open.

Clint steps out. I watch him and Loki glare at each other before the sceptre lights up.

"No!" Clint shouts, throwing a small knife at Loki.

The light fades away, and I see that Loki has vanished again. I rest my head down on the floor and breathe slowly. Clint rushes over.

"JARVIS..." I murmur.

« What? I panicked. »

"Thank you, JARVIS, and you too, Clint."

Clint checks my vitals. "Your heart is a little fast, but you should be fine. What did you call me for?"

"I was going to ask you about Loki, but then he showed up. I thought, I thought he..." I start crying for some reason.

"Elise, don't cry. Loki won't hurt you anymore," Clint assures me.

I wrap my hands around his neck. "Yes he will!" I growl through gritted teeth. "Don't you dare lie to me! I will kill you!" My eyes widen as I hear myself say "kill," and I roll away from Clint and hide in the corner of the room, still crying.

Bruce and Dmitri walk out of the elevator and find Clint leaning over the table, rubbing his neck. He points them to me and sits down in a chair. The two seem worried.

"Elise, are you okay?" Dmitri asks.

I'm not okay, Dmitri. I need a hug. Loki just assaulted me. He crossed the line. I'm not fine. I hurt Clint. I'm scared. I don't want to hurt you too.

Dmitri doesn't hear my thoughts, unlike earlier, when we were capable of telepathy. I mutter nonsense instead. She hears me babble, including the words "Loki," "Clint," and a few others.

Dmitri backs up to give me space. "It'll be alright, Elise. Your panic attack will go away. Hunter is busy right now, so he can't help. Bruce, go see what Clint has to say. I'll take Ellie to her room."

"What happened to your Spanish?" Dmitri asks.

"I don't know."

Dmitri sighs. "So, when was the last time you slept?"

"A few nights ago."

« Sixty-seven hours ago, Miss Markov. »

"You have to sleep, Elise. This week will be cool down time. No more science until next Monday. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But-" Dmitri closes the door behind her.

* * *

~Dmitri

I return to the laboratory where Bruce and Tony are waiting for me.

"Everything good, now?" Tony asks.

"Yeah," I reply. "If I may ask, why does Clint have such a grudge against Loki? I mean, I know about what happened with him taking over Clint's mind, but there must be more to it."

"That's just it," Tony responds. "There is no other reason. Although, he may not want Elise to end up like that."

Screw the sappy shit. "Bruce, did you finish Vanessa's blood work?"

"I did. The Extremis Virus is unable to finish its programming," Bruce answers.

"Can't we just enhance the Virus?"

"Well, we could, but that would be risky."

"And painful," Tony adds.

"We should do it anyway. This might allow Elise to protect herself from Loki. I want that bastard in a cage," I say.

"Hmm," Tony hums. "Could you go get us some DNA samples from everyone? I'll make you a list. Take the boys with you. I'm sure he's bored watching us shuffle around like this."

I look at Geoffrey and Gryphon watching the television. "Geoffrey, Gryphon, you heard the man. Let's go."

The two stand up. "I don't want an upgrade," Geoffrey says. "I liked being normal."

"I don't know," Gryphon admits. "I kind of like it, personally."

We go to the lounge with our list of samples to collect and several small plastic bags to put the samples in. I scan the room to find Richard, Jared, Vanessa and Darren. They all give us hair and nail samples.

I read the list. "Next stops: Elise and Hunter. You two are on the list if you want to give a sample."

Both deny the offer.

"Alright, you two go scamper off while I get the last two."

I find Hunter in the training floor with Clint. He quickly gives me a sample. I drop off the labeled samples and head for Elise's room.

"Wait," Bruce stops me. "I already have a blood sample from her. Let her sleep."

"Alright. So now what?"

Bruce pulls out seven glass vials of clear liquid. He sets out small packets of powder next to each one. "While I process the DNA, I need you to thoroughly mix each packet with its respective test tube. Each are labeled with letters: C, D, I, K, M, S, and V. Don't screw up."

I sigh and get to work.

* * *

~Elise

Dmitri stands in front of me with a panicked look on her face.

"Elise, look out!" she shouts, but someone grabs me from behind and drags me away. I see the wolf bite Dmitri's shoulder and pull her into the dark. Her scream is cut off, and a wolf howls moments later.

There is a small light in my cell, where Loki had put me in. "Loki!" I shout. "Wake me up! This is another sick nightmare that my brain and you have conjured!"

Loki steps out of the darkness and stops on the other side of the bars. He smiles at me.

"Are you ready for something new?" he asks as he slowly unlocks the door and creeps in.

I back up a bit. "L-Loki, what are you doing?"

The sceptre suddenly appears in his hand, and I find myself backed into the wall.

"Loki, no! Get away!" I scream as he presses the tip of the sceptre to the centre of my chest.

Blood begins to seep from the sides. The glowing blue orb in the heart of the sceptre lights up like earlier this week. I continue to scream as he pushes the sceptre deeper into the bone. I hear a sickening snap as the bone cracks, and the sceptre goes through to my spine. I then drop to my knees and lie down on my back on the ground as Loki removes the bloodied tip of the golden sceptre from me. I place my hand over the wound and gasp from the pain.

"You _are_ a monster," I hiss at him.

"Oh, no. Not anymore. _You_ are."

I am breathing heavily as Loki crouches down over me. I grab his wrist and pull him down to the ground with me, the sceptre suddenly gone again. Loki grins as he sees the open wound and lifts my head to look him in the eye.

Loki shakes me gently. "Elise, wake up. You're having another nightmare."

I find myself fading.

"Eli-ise. Awaken."

The dream Loki stands up, dropping my head, and leaves me in a puddle of my blood. He drops a lit match on a stream of dark liquid that trails from him to the puddle of blood. It blazes, and so does my blood.

I open my eyes to see real Loki above me. My head is cradled in his hands.

He looks concerned. "You were whimpering in your sleep and calling out for me. Was it another one of those nightmares?"

I reach up and feel tears streaming down my cheeks. "Why are you here?"

He hops off the bed, pulls the chair over to me, and sits down in it. "I was in here working on something. The usual routine."

"And you never want to tell me what it is you are working on. You are so different at night than in the day."

"I apologise for earlier this week. I was thinking as I normally do."

"You behave so erratically. You should learn to keep up the same façade over time. It's like acting. You can't change character."

I reach up to where dream Loki had stabbed me. Real Loki grasps my wrist. "No, Elise. Don't touch that."

"Why?" I put my hand down.

"There's a fresh cut there. I don't want you to hurt yourself again," he breathes and sits once more.

I stand up suddenly, stumbling and almost falling. Loki jumps up and steadies my balance. I walk to the mirror and turn on the light next to the mirror.

Sure enough, I see a small scratch just below where my collarbones meet my neck.

"Loki, give me your hand," I request.

He looks confused as I take his right wrist in my left hand.

"I'm going to try something." I clamp my fingers tight on Loki's wrist.

"Elise," he protests, "you're playing with fire."

The dream. The reminder causes me to grip Loki's wrist even more. He grits his teeth as a fingernail creates a paper cut of a scratch. I look into his eyes, which suddenly turn red. I smile as he turns completely blue, and I return my gaze to the mirror.

My eyes have become red and my skin blue. The cut fixes itself, disappearing in a matter of seconds. I release Loki's wrist and return to normal. Loki's shift back takes a while longer.

"How did you know to do that?" he asks, somewhat short of breath.

"Natural instinct, I suppose. JARVIS, what time is it?" I look to the ceiling.

« Three forty-two, Miss Iridium. »

"Great," I mutter. "Loki, did you want to go somewhere?"

His eyes, having returned to green, light up. "Where?"

"I don't know. Anywhere," I tell him.

He smiles and pulls out the knife, turning it into a sceptre. He motions for me to hold onto him. I wrap my arms around his waist. The sceptre lights up.

* * *

~Hunter

Dmitri walks into the lounge. "Hey," she greets me.

I wave at Dmitri and walk over to Jared, who is cooking pancakes.

"What do you got for us today, Jared?" I ask him.

"Pancakes, Hunter," he replies.

"Do we get toppings and stuff?"

"They have blueberries. There's syrup in the icebox if you'd like some."

"The fridge?"

"Oh, yeah," Jared smiles, "That."

I go sit down in one of the chairs. Dmitri is relaxing on the couch.

"Where is everyone?" she asks.

"Um," I pause to think. Dmitri: I'm talking to her. Jared is cooking. "I don't know. Ask Jared. Richard was here a few minutes ago. I think, I think Natasha sent Vanessa to the bad guys, spying and stuff."

Richard appears with Clint. "Did you say my name?"

I nod. "We need to know where everyone is."

Richard thinks for a moment. "Stark and Pepper are out at either a meeting or a date. Dr. Banner is likely holed up in his lab. Geoffrey and Gryphon are out on tech duty. Thor went with Rogers and Natasha to the grocery store. Darren and Vanessa were sent to the AWT headquarters to spy."

"Could someone please explain how they got back there?" Dmitri complains.

"The AWT thinks that Vanessa and Darren are spying on us, while they're really spying on them."

"And," Dmitri stands up, "where is Elise?"

"I think she's still in her room."

"God dammit," Dmitri yawns. "It's November. We've been here forever. How good are our powers?"

"They could be better," Richard answers.

"Well," Dmitri responds, "Maybe I should go work on that, then. Jared, are the pancakes done?"

"Indeed," Jared calls from the kitchen part of the lounge.

Dmitri goes over and returns with some pancakes. She begins to eat them. The elevator door opens, and a groggy Elise steps out. I try to ignore her. Dmitri turns.

"Hey, Eli- what happened to you?" Dmitri asks as she sets the plate of pancakes down and walks over to Elise.

"Oh, it's nothing," she answers. "I was just doing a science experiment."

"What's that mark on your chest from?" Dmitri pokes a fading scratch just under Elise's neck.

"The sceptre," she murmurs to herself, but raises her voice to a normal tone, "I accidentally scratched myself."

"A scepter? You mean like a golden spear with a blue light in the middle of the spearhead?" Clint interrupts.

Elise looks startled.

Dmitri frowns and holds open one of Elise's eyes. "You seem fine."

Elise squirms, whining in a high-pitched squeal. "Dmitri! What is wrong with _you_?" she retorts. She slaps her hand away but stops immediately afterwards and drops her own hands down to her sides.

"Really, what were you doing?"

"Science," Elise coos, waving her hands in an arc motion.

Dmitri stops and listens for a moment. "Busted," she finally says.

"What do you mean, 'busted?' JARVIS? What did you tell her?" Elise growls.

« I told her where you were this morning, Miss Iridium. I am only worried about your safety. » JARVIS replies.

"I was in my room this morning, JARVIS. _Seriously_, what did you tell her?" Elise responds. She is now breathing heavily and curling her fingers in anger.

« Ouch! Elise, if you wish to consult with me where you were at three forty-two in the morning, you must stop frazzling me. »

"Ouch? Really, JARVIS? You don't feel pain! And frazzling? Seriously? What the hell?" Elise glares up at the ceiling.

I gently grasp Elise's wrist. "Elise, please calm down," I say.

Elise looks at me, her eyes glowing blue. She snaps up her hand, hitting me on the chin. I am sent flying into the wall. I feel and hear the wall crack.

I hear JARVIS speak up. « Agent Clemencyn, now would be the time. »

I roll onto my back and see Richard and Clint grab Elise. Richard pulls out a syringe and stabs Elise with it. Elise claws at the air in front of her as she tries to attack me again. She soon loses strength and falls to the ground. Richard lets go of her, but Clint won't let her near me.

I feel tears rolling down my cheeks. I wipe them off in an attempt to hide them. I see Elise staring at me with an evil grin on her face.

"Y-you promised, Elise, that you wouldn't hurt me again," I stammer.

She tilts her head to the side. "Promises are broken all the time, little quim," she hisses as the blue light in her eyes fade and she falls unconscious.

I sit up. Clint helps me stand.

"What in the actual soitiye just happened?" Dmitri asks, flustered.

I brush myself off and examine the wall that I was tossed into. The wall is cracked and part of it is powder. The dust is either piled on the floor or sticking to me.

"What just happened?" I ask.

"That's almost exactly what I said," Dmitri replies.

"Oh."

Clint opens one of Elise's eyes and examines it. "Mind control," he assesses.

"Whowhatwhenwherehowwhy?" I say.

"Most likely Loki, scepter, earlier today, I don't know where nor how, and I don't know why," Clint answers.

"Way to be so literal about that, Barton," Richard says.

"What are we going to do with her?" Dmitri stands a ways from Elise with worry filling her eyes.

"We have to make sure that she won't go into shock or that there won't be any negative side effects. If she's still under the influence of mind control, we have to restrain her," Clint tells her.

"Can't we just, you know, hit her over the head or something?" I respond.

"It may or may not work, Hunter. We have to hope that Bruce can help with it, or someone else knows another way."

"Speaking of Bruce, I may have to postpone the lab time. I should do that now," Dmitri mutters.

Clint looks up at her. "I think you should go to the laboratory. Leave Elise to us. You have work to do."

Maybe I should ask Dmitri what JARVIS had told her, but maybe that would only make things worse.

I see Dmitri open the elevator door. I follow her.

"Dmitri," I begin, "can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing, Birch."

At least some things never change.

* * *

~Elise (Flashback to Earlier This Morning)

I open my eyes. Loki is looking down at me as the sceptre's light fades.

"Are we at the Alliance of War Technologies' headquarters?" I ask.

"Indeed we are," Loki replies.

"What are we going to do here?"

Loki grins. "You'll see. Come with me."

I follow Loki down dark hallways, turning every once in a while and going up stairs.

I see a faint light down the hall. "Lo-"

"Hush, Elise. The headquarters is supposed to be closed. Stay close to me," Loki whispers.

I look down at the bottom of his trench coat waving while he walks. I touch his shoulder lightly.

"You should let me wear your jacket," I murmur.

He looks back at me. "Why?"

"I could blend in better. I don't know," I reply.

He smiles. "Alright." Loki removes his coat and puts it on me. "Let's keep going." He turns and continues down the hallway.

I dash after him. He stops at the doorway to the lighted room.

"Loki!" I hear Vanessa greet him. "Where's your coat?"

"I see Leon has taught you well. Your Extremis is more under control than before," Loki answers.

"She's an excellent student, Laufeyson," a young man tells him.

"And another excellent student I would like you to meet," Loki replies. "Leon, this is Elise. Elise, step forward."

I take a step towards Loki, allowing the people in the room to see me. Vanessa is standing in the middle of the room with her hands on fire. A young man around my age with white with a black streak hair is near her. His hands had once as well been on fire.

I wave once at him. "Hi," I say curtly.

Leon smiles. "And she isn't even under mind control. Damn, Loki, you're good."

Loki scowls for a moment. "I'm going to test Elise for a moment. Feel free to watch." He looks back at me, and I follow him once more.

We arrive in a room similar to the one Vanessa and Leon were in. He locks the door behind us.

"So who was that?" I ask.

"That was Leon of the Dradon Twins. He is Yang, while his sister, Alea, is Yin. Yang has control over fire, sun, light, wind and electricity. Yin is the exact opposite with control over water, moon, shadows, earth and plants. What is also worth noting is that the special powers: light, shadow, wind, and earth will only work if the two are around each other. The extreme ones, sun and moon, only work if the two are touching."

I look to the side. "That's interes-"

Loki grabs me and pins me against the wall. I wince from the impact.

"Pay attention," Loki growls.

I struggle and manage to push Loki away. He suddenly takes out his knife and changes it into the sceptre. He presses it against me, and the light gets brighter, but soon fades.

"Oops," Loki taunts. He pulls the sceptre away and turns it back to a knife. "Now, I want to see what you're capable of."

I feel odd, like something is in my brain. I smile, both willingly and unwillingly, and kick Loki in the face. He is sent across the room and hits the wall.

What am I doing? I barely have any control over myself.

Loki smiles and waves the knife. "Mind control, dear. There's no way out of this one."

I stop midstep in the middle of the room. "Oh yes there is," I growl, "but now I want to see what I can do."

Loki's eyes widen. "What?"

I'm suddenly in front of Loki. I can feel wind whipping around us, but the second I realise it, the wind stops. I pin Loki to the ground by his neck.

"How does it feel, you deceitful twit, to be the one taking the punches now? Huh? How does it feel to be in _my_ position?" I turn my right hand and cut his shirt with my fingernail. "That could have been your skin. I can kill you right now if I wanted to."

I feel numb suddenly. _You promised, Elise, that you wouldn't hurt me again._

I glance around after hearing Hunter's voice, but Loki grabs me.

He glares into my eyes. "But you won't, and you're going to do something for me," Loki hisses.

"What is that?"

He smiles. The light on his knife glows, and we're somehow back in my room.

"You're going to forget the next ten minutes and do what I say later on. If you don't, there will be consequences."

I open my eyes. Wait, but I hadn't closed them. Where am I? I turn my head. I'm in my room and on my bed. Loki must have just left. But what happened?

"JARVIS," I call out, "what was I doing the past ten minutes?"

« Sleeping, Miss Iridium. You've been asleep for an hour. »

I turn the light on. I'm covered in tiny scratches and dried blood. Knife wounds? I'm still wearing Loki's trench coat.

"Go on, Elise. You know where you want to be right now."

That was Loki's voice, but where is he? I look around.

"You won't find me, Elise. Find who you're really looking for."

"JARVIS?" I call again.

« Yes, Miss Iridium? »

"Where is Bruce?"

« In the laboratory on floor 98, Miss Iridium. Anything else? »

"No, but thanks for your help."

« As always, Elise. »

I turn my head to the door. Why Bruce? But maybe I... No, Loki can hear me. It won't work. I open the door and go to the elevator.

"JARVIS, the time, please," I murmur.

« It is 5:23, Miss Iridium. »

I wait patiently for the elevator to get to floor 98. The door opens, and I walk a short distance before I suddenly find Bruce. He looks up, startled, from the multiple vials, beakers, and other things.

Bruce smiles warmly, which I find strange. "Elise, I didn't know you were coming. I-"

I stare into Bruce's eyes. Help me...

Bruce blinks and looks at me again, but with a different facial expression than before. He seems worried. Did he hear me?

"Would you mind helping me with something, please?"

I smile and walk over to Bruce. He gestures for me to sit down next to him.

"What are you working on?" I ask.

"I'm glad you asked," Bruce replies. "We're making an upgrade for your Extremis Virus. It will strengthen your powers. I'm a little worried about yours, as yours is incredibly unstable. I'm surprised that yours didn't glitch."

"Whose Upgrade are you currently working on?"

"This one is Jared's. The others will include you, Dmitri, Hunter, Richard, Vanessa and Darren."

I remember something. "Um, Bruce? May I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you still taking that medication?"

Bruce frowns. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

"It worries me a little. I keep thinking that it will change you. I liked you the way I met you."

I see a tear come to Bruce's eye.

"Are you- okay?" I say quietly.

"Oh, I'm fine, I guess. You're just the first person to say that you actually like the Other Guy; not for a weapon."

"I'm apparently only a weapon as well, Bruce," I point out. "We have quite a bit in common, not that I'd like to say that. I can understand a lot of what you feel."

Bruce looks down at the vials, but he walks over to a locked drawer and opens it. He holds up the blue vial and looks at me through it.

"If we have a lot in common, then I know what this needs. Thanks, Elise."

I tilt my head to the side. "What did I do?"

Bruce smiles as he returns the vial to its original place. "You reminded me of your sensitivity to gamma radiation. I'll have Jared try to split atoms, like he's done before. The gamma pulse should be perfect for it as long as it can be controlled."

"That sounds more complicated than it should be."

Bruce shrugs. "Maybe I can find other ways."

I notice something behind him on the back of the couch. "Is that," I pause, "a pair of shorts, trousers, the ilk?"

"It is. Geoffrey and Jared made it for me. It's supposed to stretch when the Other Guy comes out."

I smile at the purple pattern. "I think it will suit you well."

Bruce laughs. "You think so?"

I nod, but I then suddenly see Loki appear by the window.

"What are you waiting for?" he taunts. "Test to see if the monster will come out and play."

I turn back to Bruce. "So, Banner," I say, "what makes you tick? How do you get angry?"

Bruce looks at the trench coat that I'm wearing and smiles. "Ruses with very noticeable flaws. They make me pity the fool who made it," he responds, turning away from me.

I take a step closer to him. It's obvious that I am no longer in control of my actions. I can see him watching me out of the corner of his eye.

I'm not sure what I was doing beforehand, but Bruce suddenly swings an arm and hits me in the forehead. I fall backwards and land on my back.

When I open my eyes and groan from the splitting headache, Bruce is still standing above me.

"I'm sorry," he says to me. "That was mean. Where'd you get that knife from?"

"What knife?" I ask.

Bruce points at my hand. I glance over and realise that Loki's knife is in the my left hand. I let it fall to the floor.

"Oh dear. What did I do?" I mumble.

Bruce helps me stand up. "You tried to stab me, Elise."

I shake my head. "No, I didn't. Loki did."

Bruce laughs. "Mind control again? Loki's not one to do something twice. I do believe you, though. I know you won't lie to me about something like that."

I look at my feet. "Either way, I'm so sorry about it. The mind control doesn't work too well with me. I fought it earlier like it was nothing, but then Loki..."

Bruce makes me look him in the eye. "Then Loki what? He must have done something to make it harder for you to break the link."

"That's it. I don't remember, and then JARVIS told me that I was sleeping for the past hour. I know I was awake around four."

Bruce ponders what I had said for a while. "You're missing anywhere from ten minutes to a half an hour. We have to find what you've forgotten.

"But how?" I ask, curious.

"Come here," Bruce says after a moment. He moves over to an open area in the lab and takes off his shoes and socks. "Sit down and fold your legs, like this."

I watch him sit down and follow what he does.

"Now place the back of your hands on your knees. I'm going to show you something that I learned back in Brazil." He stops talking for a minute. "I've heard that you were born there."

I raise an eyebrow. "How is that relevant?"

Bruce closes his eyes. "Small talk, I suppose. Maybe we're somehow connected and Brazil is a past link between us. We may have met before and never realized it. We both are, or were, scientists who specialized in gamma radiation."

I am silent for a moment. "Why aren't Geoffrey and Gryphon around much anymore?"

"I was wondering when you would ask that. The two haven't taken to liking their newfound powers. They'll be around later today to help me."

I finally decide to close my eyes. "Ah, I see."

"Do you remember the day you and Dmitri were working on the Extremis Virus and the machine exploded?"

Vividly. "Yep," is all I say.

"Well," Bruce murmurs, "I thought that I would do something to help me, so I gave myself the ability to use telepathy. Vanessa also had a similar form of telepathy, but hers didn't work."

"And I ended up with it."

"What was that?"

"I have telepathy as well."

"Ah, but you see, the telepathy that I have appears to not have worked until I discovered that it only works with certain people."

"Why did you give yourself the power of telepathy?"

"I wanted to be able to communicate while I was the, uh, the Other Guy,"

"That makes sense. So, why are we doing this?"

"We have to relax, Elise. This is in order to tap into your deeper consciousness and your inner peace. Your mind is capable of telepathy, and so I am able to communicate telepathically with you. I've learned Dmitri is someone else who can use telepathy, but hers is to an extent that JARVIS can communicate with her via telepathy. Now, clear your mind and find what you're looking for."

_Find who you're really looking for._ I hear it again. That's what Loki had said. I open my eyes and look down, noticing the wounds on me once again.

"Bruce, were there knife wounds on me when I first came?" I whisper.

"No," Bruce replies, "you must have been hallucinating. Now be quiet."

I hear footsteps in a spacious hallway. I must not be in the laboratory any longer, but that can't be true. I open my eyes and stand up.

"Bruce?" I call out as I scan the area. "Bruce, are you there?"

"I'm right here, Elise. We're in your mind, but where are we, exactly?" Bruce answers.

A tall shadow appears at the end of the hallway. It approaches us, turning into a man with Asgardian armour and a golden helmet.

"It's Loki," I say.

"I can see that, Elise," Bruce replies.

Loki rushes by without another a single look at us.

"I'm guessing he can't see us," I mutter.

"Correct. This is only a projection of your mind, but, ah, as I had asked earlier, do you know where we are?"

"It appears that we're either near Odin's weapons vault or inside a S.H.I.E.L.D. base. Wait, it's definitely a S.H.I.E.L.D. base, the one in Pennsylvania to be exact."

"Let's follow him. We may learn something," Bruce tells me, running after Loki.

I dash after them both. Loki turns and tries to push open the door in front of him.

"Damn, this was open the last time I checked. Time for Plan B," Loki murmurs.

Loki puts his hand on the door handle and pulls sharply. The handle falls off and he pushes the door open. He begins to dig through multiple boxes.

Bruce stands close to Loki and tells me what's on his mind. "This is an arsenal closet, Elise."

Loki grins. "There you are. I was curious as to whether you would be here, but, you know, where they keep one thing that's mine, the rest is there as well."

Loki pulls out the golden knife, but it doesn't glow until Loki holds it for a moment. It then begins to glow green. Loki hides the knife and continues to look for something. He lifts a bow and examines it closely.

"Hunter's bow. Hers should be in here somewhere."

He pulls out another bow. "Now, where are their arrows?"

Bruce looks at me. "You brought bows and arrows with?"

"Yeah, we had an opportunity to practice, so we brought them with. I was wondering where they had gone."

"I can take either one, or both of them," Loki mumbles.

"Is he talking about the bows?" I inquire.

"Both of them are excellent weapons. One is more dangerous than the other, but will be easier for me to take control of. The other will be harder to control mentally, but physically won't be an issue. He would be a new version of Barton." Loki sighs. "Decisions, decisions."

"I guess he isn't talking about the bows. He's talking about Hunter and me. What's the point of this?" I say.

Loki pulls out the knife and makes his armour transform into an emerald green trench coat, yellow shirt, and black pants. Loki turns to the door and walks down the hallway. We follow him once again until he turns to a door next to him. He pulls out a keycard and unlocks the door.

"Why couldn't I have gotten a higher level keycard than this?" Loki complains. "Hello, Hunter Daniels, is it?"

"Yes, it is. What do you want?" a hoarse voice answers.

"I'd like a word with you, if it's alright with you."

"Is this about Ellie? If it is, get lost."

Loki smiles. "I wish to consult you about yourself. You do not have to talk about anyone else if you do not want to."

There's a moment of silence. "Come in."

The setting transitions to the warehouse where Hunter is chained up. Loki walks up to him. Hunter's head is angled toward the ground and he is covered in light scratches. Loki grabs his chin so that he looks Loki in the eye.

"Listen, you diminutive weakling. You know very well why you're here," Loki spits.

"Could you wipe my face? You literally spat on me, jackass. I'm sure I'm here because I was snooping."

Loki cracked an evil smile. "You are close to Elise, aren't you?"

"Oh, no, I know where this is going. I'm not falling for your crap, Loki, not this time."

"But you're going to do what I say, because if you do, I will go get your friends."

"What's the catch?"

"There is no catch. You only have to accept the proposition."

"So what do I have to do?"

Loki steps away from Hunter. "I like you, Hunter. I'll let you off easily. Now, as I asked, are you close to Elise?"

"Well, I guess so."

"Beings as our first agreement has expired and that Elise happens to listen to you, I believe that you should get her to soften up, be a bit more submissive."

Hunter shakes his head. "You want me to do that? Uh-uh, Loki, I can't. Why? You've changed her enough. She hardly talks anymore. She hides in the lab or her room or somewhere that I can't find her or, I-I don't know. She's becoming a shell of herself and it bothers me, you know, and, and I don't want you to hurt her anymore, Loki, because I still like her, alright?"

Loki tilts his head to the side. "Are you jealous of me?"

Hunter writhes in the chains. "Yes, alright? I can be jealous, okay? I mean, I'm not as awesome as Clint or Bruce or Tony or Thor, but I'm a better person than you are, Loki. She won't let you know what she thinks, because she's afraid of losing someone to her opinion. She's that person that will stand there and smile while you do whatever you want. She was getting better, but then you showed up and you made her PTSD come back in full swing. She's too sensitive for you, Loki."

Loki smiles. "I suppose that's a yes?"

"No, it's not! If you keep harassing me, I'll break out of here myself!"

He turns away. "It's a yes. I'll go retrieve your friends. In the meantime, Vanessa, feel free to do what you wish."

I turn to where Bruce was before the transition. "How is this-"

He isn't there. I feel another transition coming on.

"This better be the last one," I mumble to myself.

We're in my room. I see myself with Loki's knife standing by the window over Loki, who is lying on the floor. He groans in pain. The other Elise sets the knife down on the floor and picks up Loki. She drags him over to the bed and places him on it. Loki is covered in scratches, but they quickly heal up.

Loki sits up and looks at the other Elise standing in front of him.

He laughs. "You know, Elise, you're a more formidable opponent than I expected. Rest up, and then you take the knife to Bruce. Instigate him. Be a distraction. If it's possible, I want him under my influence."

I open my eyes to see Bruce shaking me. "Elise," he says, "Loki is after Hunter."

Someone obviously missed that last part.


	14. Chapter 13

I open my eyes to find myself in the infirmary once again. I turn and see Clint perched on the dresser. Bruce is napping in the chair closest to Clint.

"What day is it?" I mumble.

"It's the third of November still, Elise. You've only been out for the day. That's it," Clint tells me.

"Did they put you on babysitting duty again?"

He smiles. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

I sit up and raise an eyebrow. "Go ahead."

"Hunter, is there something between you and him? Your promise not to hurt him again, what was that?"

I get up and sit next to him. "Clint, this is kind of a sensitive subject. It's good that you asked me and not Hunter. For one thing, he doesn't remember what started it. He was drunk."

"Tell your story, then."

"I suppose that I'll start with the setting. It was midsummer, a few weeks after Hunter's twenty-first birthday. I was sent home from work because I had a weird reaction to the science experiment Dmitri and I were working on."

The door opens and Tony peers in. "Am I interrupting something? I can come back later if you want me to," he greets us.

"She was just telling me a story about her and Hunter."

Tony closes the door behind him and pulls a chair up to us. "Sounds scandalous. I'm glad I brought a drink with. Brucie, wake up. Elise has a story to tell."

Bruce grumbles and opens his eyes.

"Is that an entire bottle of whisky?" Clint asks.

"It's amaretto, Clint, to be exact. Learn your alcohol."

"May I continue? I'm sure it isn't as interesting as Tony's alcohol, but it _is_ what you came here for," I interrupt.

Tony waves a hand. "Please, tell us."

I roll my eyes. "I was sent home. It was fairly late out, and almost everyone was asleep. I became hungry, so I went downstairs for a snack. I found Hunter there with an empty bottle. It turns out that he had found Dmitri's stash of vodka, so he was completely plastered. You don't know this, but a drunken Hunter is not someone that many people can be around. We found that out when he, uh, wanted us to revisit the past."

"What are you getting at?" Tony asks.

"Hunter and I, we dated back in high school for a few years. I don't think that he's gotten over it completely. When he drinks too much, he does what drunks do best. He went too far that day, and I, I panicked and used my self-defence techniques. He was hurt badly. When he woke up the next day, I promised him that I wouldn't hurt him again unless I had to."

"It was justified self-defense, Elise," Tony says.

"I still felt awful, Tony. Dmitri and I used to pick on him a lot, but that was my breaking point. I was just so..."

"Angry?" Bruce suggested.

"That was the worst part of it, Bruce. I was angry. I wasn't that scared, because Hunter was a scrawny lil' bugger back then. I suppose he still is, but now he's strong and scrawny."

"Why did you break up?" Tony inquires.

"Tony, don't pry, we've learned enough," Clint tells him.

"It's fine, Clint. We broke up shortly after Hunter had graduated."

"Why?" Tony adds.

"Because I didn't think I was good enough for him."

"If anything, wouldn't he not be good enough for you?"

"I wasn't a very good person back then, Tony. I told him that I couldn't give him what he wanted. That was when we broke up."

Tony looks at his bottle of amaretto. He holds it up to me. "Ease your thoughts?"

"That doesn't work on me, Tony, remember?"

He shrugs and takes a drink. "I forgot, you're just like Captain I've-never-tried-everclear."

"I have. It's awful. And-"

You won't escape this time, Elise. I know your weakness. Give in to your true self. She is trapped inside of you and is fighting to escape. She is who I want, and I will do whatever it takes to get her.

I stare at the wall, listening. My senses overwhelm me. I hear heartbeats: Bruce's, slow and steady; Tony's, doing what it wants; Clint's, a bit faster than usual; mine, fluttering like a hummingbird; an extra, someone was just outside. The scent of alcohol hung over Tony. Clint's hand touches my face. I'm startled back into reality.

"Where's Loki?" I ask as I stare into Clint's eyes.

"You must still be under the effects of mind control," Clint mutters.

"I don't think I am. There's someone in the hallway. Do you know who it is?"

Bruce looks up at me. "It's Dmitri. She was in the lab with me earlier, but didn't want to bother you by entering the room."

"She should have known it would have been fine. I've been getting fairly distant from my friends. I could use having them back."

Tony stands up. "Well, I'm out. We should all go have a day to relax. Is anyone up for shawarma?"

Clint laughs quietly. "You don't even like it."

"Sure I do; when I want it," Tony replies. "I'll be in the lounge when you've finished."

I watch Tony close the door behind him. Bruce turns to me.

"Surely that wasn't the only reason, right?" he questions.

I hesitate. "It wasn't."

"What was the big reason?"

"My PTSD, Bruce. Hunter doesn't know what to think of it. He can't help me with it. He didn't understand. My PTSD comes and goes like the tide. It occasionally turned even worse back then than it has now. I dropped to a low level, and one day..."

Bruce's eyes cloud. "You tried to kill yourself, didn't you?"

I start crying. Bruce stands up, and he and Clint hug me. I cringe noticeably, but then I remember who they are.

"It's okay, Elise. It's okay," Bruce whispers. "I've gone there before, too."

It's odd that Clint has been being so nice to me. He's almost always around when I find myself in the infirmary. Why? Doesn't he hate me? Steve has always been cautious of me, but he's always kept his distance. Is Clint planning on exploiting my weaknesses and killing me when I'm a "danger?"

"Elise, are you alright?"

I snap back into reality again, thanks to Clint's voice. He's standing by the door.

"You've been staring at the wall and never noticed me get up."

"Oh, sorry. Bu-bye," I call as he leaves me with Bruce.

"How far did you get with it?" he asks.

"As far as dying. That was the only thing that I couldn't accomplish. Ever since then I've been trying to be a better person."

"That reminds me of Geoffrey," Bruce murmurs.

"How?"

"He was in the Marines when he was younger, and only six months later in the field, his group was taken hostage by terrorists in the Himalayas. Each person was brutally tortured until they gave away information and were then swiftly murdered. Geoffrey and two others survived and were rescued; however, one went mad and committed a murder-suicide. The other died of a drug overdose."

"That's awful," is all I can say.

"That isn't everything. Geoffrey was diagnosed with C-PTSD a few months later. He has to take three pills a day in order to avoid the symptoms."

"I don't know what to say."

"I'll change the subject." He looks at the faded scars on my arms. "These, didn't they come from the cobalt?"

"Yeah."

"But these scars are consistent with burning. You couldn't have gotten them from metal lacerations. Metal doesn't tend to splinter like you had explained earlier."

He must have been waiting to ask me that. I don't say anything. Flashback. I feel it coming on, but Bruce snaps me out of it before the flashback even begins.

"Elise, don't lie to me."

I know what the flashback was about, even though I didn't see it. "Alright, I'll fess up. My father was angry with me. He found out that I was talking to someone and burned me with the cobalt."

"I'm guessing that was a stranger. Don't you know not to ta-"

"It was no stranger. It was Loki. My dream- I had it a few times, including the night before we left on the trip that ended in S.H.I.E.L.D. almost killing me- it was not only a dream. It was a memory of when I was young. I believe I was twelve. It brings back so many more memories. Loki and I, we- we were more than friends. He kept his distance because of my age and out of respect for my father, but he promised to keep me safe and happy for one thing in return."

"Let me guess: you help him rule the world?" Bruce asks.

"No, if I promised to never abandon him nor lose my feelings for him. It was over a decade ago, so I don't think that promise is valid anymore. I was also twelve, so those 'feelings' were likely false as well. He was just so different back then."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"When my father was killed. Loki appeared to me and offered to take me away, but I was scared. He apologised to me and said he would come back, but that I wouldn't remember anything about him until I met him again and he said his name. Then he kissed me on the forehead and said goodbye."

Bruce frowns.

"Was it something I said?" I ask.

"No," he answers. "You're crying. You're crying a lot. I can see why Loki bothers you so much. I don't think those feelings were fake, and I think you still have them. You should maybe go talk to him."

"Not during the day, for he gets weird and violent then. I'll have to wait until tonight."

I hear something.

"Is there someone in the hallway now?" I ask again.

"Not that I know of. I should get going. I have to do something. You should go join your friends. It will be dark in an hour, you can find Loki then. Get everything off your chest. I want you to realise what kind of a person Loki is. You shouldn't be in love with him."

That word. Love. I loathe it. "I don't _love_ him. I _can't_. He's lied, manipulated and hurt me. What would I see in _that_?" I hiss.

"I don't know. You'll have to find out for yourself, Elise. I have to go now."

Before I can speak, Bruce is out the door. I lie down on the cold floor and close my eyes. "I have to get rid of Loki, but how?"

Give him what he wants. If he became bored with me, he would want me to leave.

Accept the truth. I really do have a thing for Loki. I have to admit I have a problem. What's bad about him? He lies. I lie... Alright, what else? He manipulates and hurts others, but I do too. He lurks in the shadows, is an outcast and avoids people because of it. That sounds like me; I was an outcast. He refuses to have any friends, started a war or two, and stalked a girl since she was young and possibly even before then. Yeah, that isn't me.

I sit up. "That was a nice idea. It didn't work at all."

I get to my feet and walk to the elevator. I go to the lounge and find some of my friends there.

Jared waves for me to sit next to him. "What are you up to?" I inquire.

"I am practicing the game of chess. Dost you wish to join me?" he answers.

"I suppose." What a way to waste an _hour_, but it _is_ better than other things.

* * *

~Dmitri

"I'm back. Geoffrey, Gryph, how are the Upgrades going?" I call as I step out of the elevator into the lab.

"Jared's is finished. Will Dr. Banner be returning anytime soon?" Gryphon replies.

"He was still talking to Elise when I left. He should be back soon enough. Who is left?"

"Elise, Richard, and Vanessa," Geoffrey tells me.

"Did you put the others in where you were told?" I ask, walking over to the table.

"Put the finished product in the special canisters and Bruce will put them in the suitcase," Geoffrey relays.

"Yep. We should be able to finish the last three by tonight. You two start on Vanessa's. I'll begin with Richard's. When Bruce gets back, he'll finish Elise's."

Geoffrey picks up a vial of pale turquoise liquid and brings it over to Gryphon. He then walks past the counter into the other half of the room. I hear him open the door and close it behind him. Gryphon sets the vial in a stand and goes to a locked cabinet. He picks up a small tablet and goes back to the lab table. Geoffrey eventually returns, and they begin to work on Vanessa's Extremis Virus Upgrade.

I turn to the vial of an unfinished Extremis Upgrade. It is a nearly transparent orange color and labeled with Richard's name: Clemencyn, R. M.

An explosion startles me, and I look over to see Gryphon cowering under the metal table on the other side of the room. The surface of the table is littered with glass and fizz.

"What the hell did you two do?" I yell at them.

"We did exactly as instructed. It started on fire and blew up. I believe that Vanessa's glitched Virus cannot accept an upgrade, Dmitri," Gryphon explains. He stands up and walks behind the counter. "Geoffrey, stop it. You're going to be fine," he murmurs.

I follow Gryphon and see Geoffrey in the fetal position with his eyes closed. I rush over, having immediately thought of Elise, and put a hand on Gryphon's shoulder.

"Give him space. It usually works with Elise, so back off a little," I instruct him.

"No, Dmitri, I'll- I'll be fine," Geoffrey protests, sniffling. "Gryphon's known me for long enough. He knows how this works."

"Oh, alright. Should I give you some time? Maybe go see if Bruce is on his way back?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I'll go do that." I walk to the elevator and go down two floors. I see Bruce walking alone down the hall towards me.

"Dmitri, you look like someone tried to shoot you," Bruce greets me.

"Well, _Geoffrey_ looks like someone tried to shoot _him_," I reply.

Bruce scowls. "What happened?"

"Vanessa's Virus Upgrade exploded. He just started freaking out," I tell him.

"He had a _real_ panic attack," Bruce assesses.

"So, wait, Elise's _aren't_?"

"Let's get into the elevator before I explain this," he answers before we both enter the elevator. He shuffles his feet before speaking. "According to a S.H.I.E.L.D. psychiatrist, no. They aren't even close. They thought that her panic attacks were a lot like the Other Guy and what they saw then was only the beginning."

"So they thought she was just another you?"

"Precisely, and when Tony and I went to the base in search of Clint and Natasha, I found her. I saw myself in the window, so I had to rescue her."

"What did Tony say?"

"'They may be cute, but if they follow us home, we're going to have to keep them.' He didn't like the idea of bringing all of you with us."

I laugh. "I guess he was right."

The elevator door opens. Gryphon is picking up some shards of glass from the floor. The table has been dismantled and is near the elevator.

"Where's Geoffrey?" Bruce asks Gryphon.

"Lying down on the couch," he tells him without looking up. "He's fine now. It was just a small panic attack; nothing serious."

I cross my arms. "Are you sure? Elise's pa-"

Gryphon gives me a silencing glare. "Those aren't even real panic attacks, Dmitri. From what I've heard, they're reminiscent of someone on illegal drugs."

I scowl. "But she's never taken anything like that. She just, just..."

Bruce looks concerned. "She's just what?"

Geoffrey stands up and joins us. "You heard about the explosion, didn't you, Bruce?"

Bruce forgets about our conversation and turns to Geoffrey. "Yes, Geoff, Dmitri came and found me."

Geoffrey turns to me. "I'm sorry you had to see that. It hasn't happened in a while."

I scowl. "So does that mean Geoffrey has PTSD too?"

He shakes his head. "Not quite. I have something similar. It's C-PTSD. I was a prisoner of war a few years ago. I have to take a lot of medication to help. I'm currently going through therapy so that I can stop taking medicine. What I've found that works the best is my newfound ability to control water molecules. It's fairly similar to meditation and focuses on Yin energy, rather than Yang, since I suffer from an imbalance of the two after being in combat."

I sigh. "That sounds like something Elise would say. She loves the idea of astral energy and mystic balance. She doesn't practice anything like it on purpose, though. She believes that religion hinders people's ability to assimilate peacefully."

Bruce sighs. "Well, she isn't entirely wrong nor right. Let's move on. We can finish these last two within an hour if we do it now."

* * *

~Elise

It's finally been an hour. Jared made food, and I just cleaned up. I'm on my way to the elevator. Vanessa steps in my way.

"Where are you off to? Going to cuddle with Loki?" she taunts.

Everyone turns their attention to us. The room grows silent as I answer.

"You are awful at that, Vanessa. And no, I'm tired," I say.

"Tired from what? Working for the enemy?"

"Vanessa, stop teasing Elise. Thou knowest very well that thou dost the same as she," Jared defends.

"Oh, Jared, you and your archaic English crap. You'll never get that out of your system, will you?" Vanessa replies.

"I am proud of the way I speak, Vanessa. At least I do not go around and threaten my friends, like thou art doing now. Be kind to Elise, for Loki hath been her problem today. She doth not require another."

"Yeah? Well, maybe she should stop sleeping with him!"

I raise an eyebrow and try to hide my anger. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

Vanessa steps toward me and points a finger at my face. "You listen closely, Elise. It's painfully obvious now, but if you haven't picked up on it, I should tell you. Loki is taking advantage of you in more ways than one. He sits in your room almost every night and day. He's never around us anymore."

That's it. I grab Vanessa by her neck and lift her up. "I don't care about Loki. As far as I'm concerned, he's always been taking advantage of me. What has me furious as hell at you is the fact that you had to say it in front of our friends." I throw her to the floor. "And don't even think about following me. I'll hurt you on purpose accidentally."

She stares at me wide-eyed with blood trickling down her neck. I turn away and finally reach the elevator.

"Have a nice night, green eyes. You really should learn how to control your anger," Vanessa calls.

I say nothing and the door closes. I sit down in the corner of the elevator and start crying.

« You are on your way to your room, I presume? » JARVIS asks.

"Yes, JARVIS. Is Loki there?"

« Indeed he is. Do you mind him being present? »

"He's fine. I have to talk to him. Bruce's orders."

« Very well, Miss Iridium. May I recommend that you stand up? We're nearly to your destination. »

I wipe the tears from my face and stand up.

« It must have been hard to listen to Vanessa accuse you like that. In my opinion, Loki is nicer to you than she believes. »

"I'll manage, JARVIS, but thank you for your concern. Would it be alright if you stayed out of my room tonight?"

« Ah. I understand, Elise. I shan't be present. Have a nice evening. »

"You too, JARVIS ."

The door opens and I walk to my room. I open the door to see Loki sitting in the chair as he usually does nowadays.

"You seem upset. Is there anything I might do to help?" Loki says as I pass him and sit down on the edge of my bed.

"You could leave. Vanessa is telling everyone that I am on the bad side. It's given me a headache," I answer.

"Oh, but is that the true reason you are upset? She said something else, didn't she?"

I hesitate. Was Loki right? I stand up and walk to my desk. Loki gets up as well and comes close to me. I see Loki pull out his knife, but I grab his hand with the knife.

"Loki, you don't want to do this," I murmur.

He pulls his hand away and throws the knife into the wall. He turns to me again and grasps my wrist before I can make it to the door. His hand is blue, and because of that, my wrist turns the same colour. Mine then fades back to a normal skin tone.

"What are you doing?" I ask, my voice quiet.

"What was it Vanessa said to you? What was it?" he hisses. He backs me up to the wall next to the door and leans in close to me. I reach for door handle, but Loki grabs that hand as well. "What... was... it?"

I grit my teeth as his hold on me tightens. He pushes himself closer to me and his forehead is now against mine. His eyes have gone from green to red, and his skin continues to be blue.

"Loki, Loki, no. Go away. Stop."

"What did she say?"

Vanessa was right. She knew this was going to happen. "She said... She said that you are taking advantage of me... In more ways than one."

Loki smiles wickedly. His grip loosens, but he starts kissing me. I turn my head to the side.

"Loki, just no," I whisper.

I slip my arms out of Loki's grip, yet his left hand pins me to the wall by my shoulder and he runs his right hand through my hair. He suddenly retracts his hand and punches the door, leaving a dent in it. I look into his eyes and see there is a pain hidden in them that Loki must not understand. A blue light glows from under his red eyes, turning them violet. He grits his teeth and closes his eyes. He must be fighting whatever it is that is inside him and trying to escape.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

"No," he replies through his teeth. "I cannot believe that I am doing this."

"You can stop yourself, right?"

He opens his eyes, blazing a fiery blue, and kisses me again. He pulls himself away from me and proceeds to stand in the middle of the room.

"Loki, you could hurt me."

"I already have." He looks up at the knife, which is unusually bright right now. "It's the knife. It's controlling me. I'm sorry, Elise. I didn't mean to do that," he apologises.

"What did you not mean to do?"

He lifts my hands up gently, and I notice bruises forming where Loki had grabbed me. "I didn't mean to hurt you," he looks past me, "nor the door."

I take a step back right into the wall. "Hold on a moment, so you're meaning to say that you- you kissed me on purpose?"

"Not like that. I have a, uh, weird feeling about you. It's only recently come to my mind, and it bothers me immensely. When I'm being controlled, it causes me to experience extreme spikes in emotion. I'm only partially kissing you on purpose." A flash of lightning frightens Loki, causing him to cringe. "Thunderstorms tend to give my mind a break from being controlled. It does, however, cause other problems."

"What if I helped you break free from the mind control _and_ eased your mind of thunderstorms?" I ask.

"How would you do that?"

I walk past Loki and close the curtains. "I can find a way, but if I did, you would have to give me something in return."

He folds his hands. "Like what?"

I turn and walk up to Loki. I reach a hand up and touch the side of his face. "You tell me your secrets. I want to be able to trust you. Do you remember when you taught me how to communicate telepathically? I want to be able to talk to you without having to maintain you being in my field of vision."

His expression turns forlorn, but gentle. "I know what we would have to do in order for that to work."

I tilt my head to the side. "Oh, do you?"

He looks me in the eyes, having become serious now. "Do we have a deal?"

I take a deep breath. "We do."


	15. Chapter 14

~Dmitri

"I'm glad we finished the Upgrades last night, Bruce. Now I can have the day to relax with Elise," I say.

We're sitting on the couch waiting for Tony to arrive.

"I wonder where Tony has gotten off to. He should be back by now," Bruce replies.

The elevator door opens. Bruce and I stand up. I greet Tony. "Hey, Tony, glad you could finally join us. We need you to-"

It isn't Tony. Clint Barton looks up at us from his StarkPad. Bruce glances at me before speaking. "Clint, where's Tony?"

He turns back to the elevator. "Floor fifty-four with Thor and Richard. You may want to go there now."

"Why? What's there?" I ask.

"Loki, of course. There's also the option to come with me and find Elise. Steve and Natasha are interrogating Vanessa and Darren. Jared is there as well."

Bruce follows Clint. "I'll help you find Elise. Dmitri, what will you do first?"

"I have to find Elise, if she really is missing," I answer.

Clint crosses his arms after putting the StarkPad in his backpack. "JARVIS was unable to tell us where she is. No one has seen her since Vanessa, well, you know what Vanessa did. I sent Hunter out to find her. He hasn't yet."

"Why not ask Loki?" Bruce suggests.

He presses the button for the 54th floor. "He won't talk to any of us, but it's possible that he'll tell one of you something."

We stand in silence, aside from a quiet speaker playing "Some Kind of Monster" by Neon Trees: a song that Tony calls "The Dr. Pepperony theme song" and has playing in the lab every so often. The door eventually opens to a long hallway with steel walls. Clint leads us to the first door on the left. He opens the door for us.

The first thing I notice upon entering the room is a glasslike wall that is strikingly similar to the cells on the helicarrier. Thor stands just outside the door, Richard is leaning against the wall on the other side of the room, and Tony is using some sort of computer near us. He glances up at us.

"Nice to see you, Dr. Banner and Miss Let's-blow-everything-up. How are you?" Tony greets us.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Making sure the god of spandex doesn't escape. I'm serious, have you read those comics? And Dmitri, Agent Clemencyn would like a word with you."

I groan and walk over to Richard. "Hey, Dick, Tony said you wanted to talk to me?"

He looks up. "Yeah. Have you seen Loki? He looks awesome. I've never seen anyone so... blue with anger. They're usually red. Did you know where Elise is?"

"No, but Bruce thinks that Loki might," I answer.

He smiles. "You should really check him out. I don't see why he doesn't go for that look more often. Don't worry, Thor is keeping an eye on him. Go ahead and talk to him. I tried, but he sat there like a statue and said nothing. He did threaten me once. Told me he was going to torture me by cutting me between the fingers with a piece of paper. He said it really slow, too, so I would feel it just because he said it. I can tell you that he's amazing at what he does. It makes me wish he was a good guy."

I frown. "Now is not the time for your fanboyness. Elise is missing and not even JARVIS knows where she is."

"Did you even ask JARVIS?" Dick replies.

"That's what Clint told us."

He laughs. "So you didn't. Alright."

"Oh my god, Dick, shut up!"

"Miss Markov and Agent Clemencyn!" Thor interrupts. "Will you please not argue like that? What compels you two to argue like that?"

Tony doesn't even bother to turn away from the console. "They probably had a one night stand and hated it. That's what I think."

"Mr. Stark!" Richard snaps, startled by Tony's comment. "That was hardly an appropriate thing to say! I'm appalled by it!"

"Great, Tony, your snarky input has Dick speaking in big words. I'd say touché, but that wasn't a comeback for anything," I mutter.

Something moves into my field of vision to Tony. It's Loki, and he's completely blue. His eyes are red, though. He also happens to be wearing less clothes than the last time I saw him, with only black pants and a green shirt on. Even his shoes are missing.

"Oh, now this is entertaining. I do love how dysfunctional you all are," Loki taunts with a smooth voice, "but don't you happen to be looking for someone?"

I glare at Loki. "You know where Elise is?"

He walks up to the glass and places a hand on it. He moves his hand downward, leaving a streak of blood on the glass. "Yes, I do," he snarls. "You should act fast. She won't be alive for long."

"You psychopath! I'll kill you myself if you don't tell me where Elise is!" I threaten.

Loki smiles. "I find your concern for Elise to be only a growing desire to kill me, and I love it when the good face their worst enemy, anger. Of course," he turns to Bruce, "some have more of an issue with it than others. You know that, don't you, Banner?"

Bruce crosses his arms. "Yes," he answers indifferently.

"Oh, you're no fun," Loki tells him before turning to Thor. "You remember where you found me, don't you? I recall you trying to, 'beat the crap out of me,' as Clemencyn says, but I came peacefully, so you didn't do much damage."

"You were on floor seventy-five. I was going to find Elise, but you were there instead," Thor says.

"And that, my friends, is where you will find Elise. That is, if she hasn't crawled off to die!" Loki jokes.

I curse under my breath and walk to the door. "I'm going to see if he's lying. Come with, if you'd like."

Bruce puts a hand on my shoulder. "I'll go with. If what Loki says is true, Elise will need immediate medical attention."

"As will I," Clint speaks up.

We hurry to the floor with Elise's room, and I lead Bruce and Clint down the correct hallway.

"Hold on," Bruce directs. "Do you smell that?"

Clint gives Bruce a confused look. "Smell what?"

Bruce resumes walking and quickens his pace. "It's blood- and a lot of it."

He suddenly stops a few feet from Elise's room. "I was right." He bends down and looks at a pool of blood that is seeping under the door. He stands and quickly opens the door. I dash over and look inside.

Elise is lying on the floor, curled up like a cat. Her eyes are closed and her lips are blue. Blood runs along a cut in the floor to the door, where it pools up.

"Is she... dead?" I ask, mentally holding myself back.

Bruce checks her pulse. It's silent for almost an entire minute.

He looks at me with tears in his eyes. "Barely. She's suffering from hypothermia and loss of blood. Clint, get her into the closest infirmary once I stop the bleeding. We don't have time to get to floor ninety-seven. We'll move her there once she's stabilized. There's one on floor seventy-two. Go there."

"We don't have time to stop the bleeding." Clint gently picks up Elise and carries her out of the room. Bruce and I follow Clint as he brings Elise to the infirmary. He lays her down on the bed and checks himself over as Bruce begins to work on her. "JARVIS, send Geoffrey here."

« Yes, Doctor Banner. »

"Great, this shirt is ruined," Clint complains. "Luckily, Stark has superhero-grade laundry detergent."

Geoffrey arrives. Bruce waves him over. "We have to stop the bleeding and warm her up."

Geoffrey dashes around for Bruce, getting bandages and other things. Clint sighs. "Am I the only one who's noticed how often Elise is in the infirmary? How many times has it been now?" He counts in his head. "At least four times, including yesterday. That's all I can remember."

"Do you even know what happened?" I ask Bruce.

Geoffrey looks up from his work. "No signs of any real weapon. I see a bunch of scratches which are surprisingly deep, but other than that, Elise is unharmed."

"How did she get hypothermia?"

He returns to examining Elise. "I've read a bit about Loki, even the comics that S.H.I.E.L.D. make to hide people like Loki and Bruce by making them fictional characters. Loki is Jotunn, or a frost giant, and he uses magic. That likely explains it. The thing that I don't understand is why he did this to Elise, I mean-"

Bruce looks at Geoffrey. "What did you find?"

Geoffrey looks at Elise's neck. "There's a familiar looking bruise here. I think I know what Loki was doing."

"And Elise resisted?" Bruce suggests.

Geoffrey huffs in contempt. "Possibly. She has bruises on her wrists, too, but these are somewhat different. Would you mind going back to Loki? We'd like a little more space."

I nod and leave the room. Clint follows me. We walk into the elevator.

"It's alright if you want to go change. You don't have to go back to Loki with me. Elise told me that you don't like him," I say to Clint.

He smirks for a moment. "That's not the only thing she's told you, was it?"

"Well, she also said that you hated _her_ a lot."

Clint snorts a laugh. "Hate's a strong word. I wouldn't say that. We had our differences before, but I was doing my job. She pretty much evened it out by giving me that black eye. Where did she learn to fight like that?"

"She taught herself. Says it's only natural instinct and doesn't think she's a good fighter," I reply.

"Heh, I could have sworn that I saw her being trained by Loki a while ago. I don't suppose they've worked together before?"

"Are you saying that Elise has been planning this whole thing?"

"I didn't say it, but, yeah, I definitely thought it. Dr. Banner told me that she actually did know Loki." He laughs. "I found something off of S.H.I.E.L.D. on my StarkPad. They used to have nicknames for each other."

"That's a little awkward."

"Go ahead and ask him yourself. This is your stop. I'm going to clean up. I'll come back here when I'm done."

"Alright," I answer as the elevator door closes. I turn around and see Thor sitting on one of the benches near Loki's cell. Richard has left, and Tony is still hovering over the console with headphones on. I look at Loki, who is still blue. He's lying on the floor with his hands behind his head and eyes closed. I walk up to the cell and bang on the glass wall.

Loki looks up at me. He smiles and sits up. "Ah, I see you've found Elise. You should have let her die."

I scowl. "And why would that be?"

"Because she wanted me to kill her. She felt boxed in and wanted out. We had a deal. Since she lived, that deal will be set in motion. I believe that the younger Banner has discovered a little more than expected."

I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow. "And how did you know that?"

"Our other bargain; I can hear what she does whenever I desire. Really, it is quite fun. I haven't done anything like that in a long while. Thor wouldn't happen to have a clue as to what I was doing in Elise's room, would he?" Loki grins again and looks to Thor.

"You obviously made an attempt on her life, Brother. You couldn't bear to see someone better than you," Thor answers.

Loki folds his hands. "Hehehe, all of the stones are falling into place. Soon, I will be triumphant."

"How is that even relevant?" I say angrily.

I hear Tony's voice and see Loki look to the door. "Oh, hey, Elise. You look well." Tony laughs. "And Loki said you were dying. He's such a riot, isn't he?"

Loki gazes at Elise for a few moments before returning to me. "As I was saying: our bargain. Nothing more."

I step away as Elise walks up to Loki's cell and sits next to it. I see Elise carrying a white box. Loki lies down once more. Elise's expressions change every once in a while. She and Loki must be communicating telepathically.

Elise looks perfectly fine. There are no cuts or bruises present. What's going on?

I notice Elise's bracelet. The gemstones are supposed to be green. They're a sky blue. Loki's eyes flash the same color, and I approach them.

"Um, Elise, are you okay? I thought that you were going to die back there," I say to her.

She stands up and faces me. "Thanks for your concern, Dmitri," she answers with a false smile, "but I'm alright. Loki just had some problems last night. He was teaching me to use magic."

I look into Elise's eyes. They are screaming for help, but she otherwise looks fine.

« I am sorry to interrupt, but everyone's presence is requested in the War Room. » JARVIS tells us.

We all head to the door. Elise, however, is still in the same place as she was.

"You go on ahead. I have something to say to Loki," she explains.

"Very well. Do not worry about him escaping," Thor answers.

We leave the door open for Elise and make our way to the War Room.

* * *

~Jared

"What are we going to do with you two?" Steve asks Darren and Vanessa.

I step forward. "Not to be rude, Rogers, but they had nothing to do with this. Vanessa only teased Elise."

Steve looks at me. "How do you know they had nothing to do with it?"

"Look at them. They are clueless as to what is going on."

Steve looks at them. He hesitates. "You're right, Jared. We're done here." He stands up and faces me as Darren and Vanessa leave the room. "Jared, how did you know that?"

"I've learned to read body language. It's one of the perks of not using a cellular phone."

Steve chuckles. "Says you. I'm still trying to figure them out."

We walk towards the elevator. "As am I. Regardless, what happens to be next on our agenda?"

« Excuse me, Mister Rogers, Sir Knightson, there will be a meeting in the War Room in ten minutes. Perhaps arriving there early will allow you two to do some research. »

"Research?" I echo. "Research for what?"

« Why, your next mission, of course. »

"Oh, very well," I answer.

Steve crosses his arms. "Why does he call you 'Sir Knightson?'"

"I believe that Tony thinks it sounds better than 'Mister Knightson.'"

The door of the elevator opens up. We step out into the War Room. The windows blackout and are replaced by a screen as JARVIS greets us.

« Glad you could make it, you two. S.H.I.E.L.D. has requested that you and your teams return to the helicarrier. The Alliance of War Technologies has become quite a nuisance, and Director Fury wishes to bring Loki in for questioning. He also said that your team, Unique Network Intelligence Variant Expert Repercussions Superhuman Elites, must find its leader, and you all must be registered in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Superhero and Villain Database. He recommended that I explain to you anything you desire to know. »

I take a step back. "Wait, how did this suddenly become _my_ team?"

« Director Fury has appointed you leader of the Elites. If you do not wish to be the leader, you can tell Fury that. He will understand. »

Steve and I make eye contact. "Jared, I'm sure you would make an amazing leader. Fury knows best. If he chose you for the job, there isn't a thought in my mind that makes me think otherwise," he tells me with a smile.

"Thank you, Rogers."

"Call me Steve. What else do we need to know?"

« You may be there for quite some time, so pack enough clothing. Have Bruce bring the Extremis Upgrades. Doctor Stephen Strange and Barbara Morse will be there, but only for a while. They are there for other reasons, but they may be able to help monitor the ones receiving the upgrades. »

"Is that all?" I ask.

« There is more. Director Fury requested a close watch on Elise Iridium since "her power has not yet been labeled." He does not want Loki and Elise in the same vehicle on the way to the helicarrier. I have also been informed that Darren and Vanessa will also be on a special watch. Your former rooms are still available for use, and you will receive an office, Sir Knightson. »

"Is _that_ all?" Steve inquires.

« If I have forgotten something, I will tell you. I do recommend that you contact Director Fury now. »

"Go ahead, JARVIS."

It is for a while before Nick Fury answers.

"Rogers, Knightson, you got my message," Fury greets us.

"Yeah, we heard," Steve answers him.

"Great, so you're aware of the situation?"

"Most of it. How many vehicles do we need to get over there?"

"You need at least three, Rogers. Elise cannot ride with Loki, and I'm sure that there would be a problem with Thor, too. While you are all here, I have a few different missions for all of you."

Director Fury explains everything that we should know, and a few minutes later, he hangs up.

Steve looks at me. "Should we call everyone up here?"

"I suppose so. JARVIS," I call.

« I'm on it, sir. »

* * *

~Vanessa

I'm walking down the hallway to Loki's cell. Maybe I'll let him out. I shouldn't. That wasn't the plan, but then again, getting put in a cell wasn't the plan, either. Loki wasn't even part of the plan. What am I thinking?

I think Elise is still with Loki. I should stay quiet and see if I can hear anything. I apparently have a habit of hearing something that I shouldn't. Let's make that work in my favor.

I quietly approach Loki's cell room. Sure enough, I can hear Loki talking to Elise.

"I didn't think she would fall for it," Elise murmurs.

Loki chuckles. "You were fairly believable. You have learned to use magic faster than I had expected you to. Your almost dying scheme worked excellently. Although, that hypothermia Bruce mentioned was not false. That was my fault."

"No matter. They've called an important meeting, so I suppose that I should go."

"Very well. I shall see you when you return."

I hide behind a crate while Elise enters the elevator and leaves. I then walk into Loki's cell room. He's standing with his back to me and arms crossed.

"Hello, Scarlet Flare, I wasn't not expecting you to come," Loki says.

"Yeah, yeah, double negatives aren't your thing," I reply.

"And double positives aren't yours, either."

"Huh, well, I would like to know what you are planning to do with Elise. The Mandarin did want you to stay away from her."

Loki glares at me. "Then maybe the Mandarin should tell me himself."

I frown. "Loki, are you okay? You seem... volatile..."

He snarls. "I'm always volatile, you damn quim! I will never know why Justin Hammer chose you as one of the top members of the Alliance of War Technologies! You are too ignorant to notice what's directly in front of me! And yes, I know about you having a 'crush' on me! You may have tried to hide it, but you failed."

I'm taken aback. "At least I don't stalk Elise. Jeez, is that the new trend in getting a girlfriend?"

"I have no time for your petty insults. Get out of my sight."

I cross my arms. "No."

Loki's lip curls. "Quit staring at me like that and get out."

I smile. "Nope."

He braces himself. "I said," his voice raises almost to the point of cracking, "get out!"

The blue in his skin travels to his hands, so that the rest of him has a very pale, but normal, skin tone. Blue sparks fly from his hands. His eyes light up the same color.

My eyes widen in shock. "What did Elise do to you?"

Loki grins sadistically. "Elise did nothing," he sneers. "I was the one that claimed Elise, and your trifling alliance can do nothing to take her from me! I am victorious!"

I turn around and waste no time leaving.

I hear Loki mutter one more thing before I close the door. "That's right. Learn to listen to others."

I walk towards the elevator. "God, Vanessa, you can't keep doing that. It'll get you killed one day."

"What will get you killed?"

I turn around.

"Hi, Vanessa."

It's Elise. She slowly walks in between the elevator and me. "How's it going?"

"It could be better," I tell her.

She smiles. I stop for a moment. Loki smiles like that. It must be a trick.

I slap Elise.

She cringes and glares at me for a moment with eyes blazing a sky blue. The blue fades away.

"Vanessa? I'm sorry. Did I do something?" she asks with a sickly look on her face.

"No, you just acted weird for a moment."

She looks at the floor. "Oh, I was going to the meeting, but I got distracted."

"By what?"

"I heard Loki yell and thought something had happened. Is he alright?"

We walk into the elevator and Elise presses a button. "Yeah, he was just angry about something," I explain.

"You mean, something, as in, you?"

I hesitate. "Yeah."

She smiles. "Don't mind Loki. He's just a little, er, brash. I'm not sure if I can stand him after what happened..."

"What did happen?"

"I'd rather not talk about it now," she answers while gently touching the bandages on her neck and wrists. "Maybe some other time."

The elevator door opens. Elise hurries out of the elevator and to Dmitri. I walk up to Darren.

"Took you long enough," he says.

I sit down next to him. "I had to finish something first, dearie. When does the meeting start?"

"Once everyone gets here. Shouldn't be too long now."

"Alright. I can wait."

* * *

~Hunter

Change the channel. Change the channel. Change the channel. Oh! Cartoons! Great! Is anyone else here? I look around. Nope. That's kinda weird. There's almost always someone else here.

"JARVIS, where is everyone?" I ask.

« Everyone is busy, Hunter. There is no need to fret. »

"Okay."

After a few minutes, the elevator door opens. I turn to see who it is. Gryphon steps out of the elevator.

I stand up. "Hi there!"

Gryphon laughs. "Hi, Hunter. Did you get a call to the meeting?"

"What meeting?"

"They're having a meeting in, like, a minute. Everyone is supposed to go."

I dash over to the elevator and wait for Gryphon to turn around and get here. He presses a button and the elevator goes down.

"So do you know what the meeting's about?" I ask.

"No, they just called me and asked to bring you with," he replies.

The elevator door opens. We step out and take a seat in one of the chairs. Steve and Jared are standing with their backs to the table, and Tony is sitting on a chair talking to them. Natasha walks up to them and says something. They all turn around. Steve clears his throat, and everybody quiets down.

"Finally, everyone is here. Let's get started right away. I'll explain what you should know now and then the rest later," Steve explains. "We're going to the helicarrier. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't like what the AWT is doing and wants us on the helicarrier to find out their next move. Now, some of us have to stay behind to finish some things. Barton and Doctor Banner, you will be going to the helicarrier with Dmitri, Elise, Hunter and Jared. When we bring Loki there, Thor will be there with Agent Clemencyn and Tony. Arriving later will be the rest of us: Natasha, Darren, Vanessa and myself. Geoffrey, Gryphon, you two are free to leave."

Geoffrey steps forward. "With all due respect, sir, I would appreciate it if I could come with."

Gryphon stands up. "Me too. I would like to go with."

Steve hesitates. "Well, I guess you two can come with. We can use more people on the second trip, with Loki."

Geoffrey smiles and looks to Bruce. He nods in return.

"Now then," Steve continues, "shall we go?"

We eventually get to the Quinjet and are soon airborne. Clint is flying it. The rest of us are in the passenger area. Elise seems a little uncomfortable in the Quinjet.

I turn to Jared. "What do we do now?"

He looks down and. "I suppose we wait until we get to the helicarrier."

I groan. "How long is that going to _be_?"

Jared think for a while. "Approximately thirty minutes."

"What? I can't wait _that_ long!"

"Then take a nap."

I sigh and sit down. The last thing I see before I close my eyes is Dmitri talking to Bruce with a worried look on her face.

I'm standing in the bridge of the helicarrier. Nobody else is around, but I can hear voices near me.

I hear the voice of Dmitri. "Is she going to be okay?"

"It's just airsickness, Dmitri. She's going to be alright," Bruce answers.

I look around for them. "Hey, where are you guys?" I call.

"They can't hear you, Hunter. You're dreaming."

I turn around and see Loki. "How'd you get into my dream?"

He runs his hand along the table. "Through Elise. I can access her mind regardless of the distance between us on earth. From there, I found a way here." He smiles. "There are some upsides to the Mandarin's plan; though I'm still unsure of what he plans to do with me when it's over."

"Isn't the Mandarin an enemy of Tony?"

Loki walks past me. "There was an impersonator of him. Now, I believe they are enemies again. There was a little standoff between the two back in Los Angeles, I heard."

"I thought you were there."

Loki laughs. "I knew Elise wouldn't say anything, but I was expecting Thor to. Did he really not say anything?"

I cross my arms. "Well, since I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm going to say no."

He leans over the table. "Do you remember when you were held captive in that warehouse? When you confessed that you were envious of me?"

"Yeah."

"Whilst you all were away in California, I was getting to know Elise again. I made friends with Jared as well," Loki explains. He laughs again. "Oh, Elise, she was surprised when she realised who I was. Now, Barton doesn't like me much, but you, you made a deal with me. Don't you remember?"

"If I remember right, you forced it upon me."

"Regardless, you've kept your side of the bargain, and I've kept mine. I only want you to do one last thing before I leave."

"And what is that?" I ask.

He walks up to me and pushes me backwards with one hand until I'm against the wall. He then leans in close.

"Stay out of my way," he growls in my ear.

I close my eyes. "Okay, okay!"

"Hunter, wake up."

I open my eyes to see Jared. "We're here," he says.


End file.
